Be ready
A city where people and organisations are prepared for emergencies
Direction 4Sydneysiders have experienced bushfires, flood and storms in the past 5 years. People are becoming more aware of the importance of resilience and know they need to be ready for future shock events.
Australian Red Cross, local councils and state agencies are running a range of campaigns to raise emergency and disaster preparedness. However, more work is needed to embed emergency preparedness in the daily lives of people living in Great Sydney.
Prepared for Emergencies
Preparedness
Sydney-siders have experienced bushfires, floods and storms in the past 5 years. People are becoming more aware of the importance of resilience and know they need to be ready for future shock events.
Volunteering
Strengthening skills and connections that can support people in times of crisis. The number of formal volunteers is declining and there are barriers to participation. People are time poor and are looking to contribute in different ways
Communication
Effective communication is essential during a crisis. Ensuring people know how and where to get information in an emergency is a key enabler of individual and community preparedness.
More needs to be done to embed emergency preparedness in the daily lives of people living in Greater Sydney.
Action 21
Embed person-centred emergency planning
Shocks & stresses
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Heatwaves
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Flooding
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Health services
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Mental health
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Social isolation
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Chronic health conditions
Resilience challenge
Some people are more at risk in an emergency situation and need extra preparation and support to make sure they are safe.
State disaster mitigation plan alignment
- Community awareness and preparedness
- Social infrastructure and cohesion
Resilience goals
- Emergency plans are developed with people with disability and other people at risk in shock events.
- State and local emergency planning frameworks have a coordinated, person-centred and inclusive approach that responds to people’s needs.
- Local emergency plans incorporate the needs and experiences of people with disability.
Action 22
Research community preparedness and support coordinated campaigns
Shocks & stresses
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Heatwaves
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Bushfires
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Flooding
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Storms
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Low trust
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Fragmented governance
Resilience challenge
More residents of Sydney need to be prepared for future shock events.
State disaster mitigation plan alignment
- Community awareness and preparedness
Resilience goals
- More people living in Greater Sydney have a household emergency plan that meets their individual needs.
- State government, emergency response agencies and organisations, and local councils work together to deliver emergency preparedness campaigns.
- Councils have access to consistent, effective, and inclusive communication resources and research to support local initiatives to prepare communities.
Action 23
Improve emergency awareness in apartment buildings
Shocks & stresses
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Heatwaves
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Energy
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Shelter
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Mental health
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Social isolation
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Reducing social cohesion
Resilience challenge
There are low levels of emergency awareness in apartment communities.
State disaster mitigation plan alignment
- Community awareness and preparedness
- Social infrastructure and cohesion
Resilience goals
- Apartment dwellers have emergency preparedness plans and the skills and knowledge to respond to shock events.
- Owners corporations, working with their strata and building managers, cost-effectively improve the resilience of their dwellings.
- State and local government policy, planning and practices improve the wellbeing, social connectedness and emergency preparedness of apartment residents.
Action 24
Coordinate and encourage volunteering
Shocks & stresses
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Heatwaves
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Bushfires
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Flooding
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Storms
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Coastal hazards
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Reducing social cohesion
Resilience challenge
National data indicates volunteering has declined and that it is changing. New processes are needed to harness community skills, capabilities and local knowledge of informal volunteers to supplement emergency services.
State disaster mitigation plan alignment
- Community awareness and preparedness
- Social infrastructure and cohesion
- Enabler – capacity and capability
Resilience goals
- Volunteering continues to be valued across society. People have positive experiences volunteering in contexts that work for them.
- Volunteering training is accredited. Volunteer skills are recognised.
- There is a regional database of volunteer expertise shared between state and local government. This improves place-based volunteer capacity to respond during shock events.
Action 25
Collaborate to be better prepared for emergencies
Shocks & stresses
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Cyberattack
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Heatwaves
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Flooding
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Storms
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Bushfires
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Fragmented governance
Resilience challenge
In an emergency it is critical people understand their roles, communicate consistently and pool and share available resources. This needs to be done in a collaborative way at a regional level before events occur.
State disaster mitigation plan alignment
- Emergency infrastructure
- Community awareness and preparedness
- Enabler – capacity and capability
Resilience goals
- Councils are clear on their roles and effectively contribute in emergency scenarios across Greater Sydney.
- Communications planning is in place so that councils can support each other in the event of major communication service failure.
- Local governments have established inclusive communication channels to disseminate crucial information and warnings.
- Communities are prepared and know how and where to access reliable information and support in emergency events.