Plan for the worst

When disaster strikes, we don’t get much warning – if any at all.

These moments are filled with stress, and a lot of us find it hard to think straight or to remember key details, when the water is lapping at the door, or the billowing smoke is thick and dark across the horizon.

Being prepared for the future and planning for the worst before a potential disaster strikes is much more effective – and less stressful – than trying to think about these things while dealing with the aftermath of a disaster, be it flood, fire or something else.

At its heart, disaster resilience is about understanding risk and taking simple, practical steps to use what we know to prepare for the unknown. It’s about having a plan to protect yourself, your family, your home and your livelihood. In rural areas, these things are often all tied to the family property.

“This can be as simple as having a record of where everything is located on your property, if a disaster was to occur,” says Melissa Round, Gulf Savannah NRM’s Resilient Futures project officer. “Having things like a list or inventory is helpful, so that if you do have to make an insurance claim, it’s all there in one document.”

Mapping officer Mahtsente Tadese (pictured left) is working with Melissa (right) to help properties prepare for the worst. Together, they can provide you with property maps for fire and flood risk. The maps will also show your property’s infrastructure and assets, helping you to identify homesteads, waterpoints and fences, and note any important details, like the year of construction.

This is an Australian Government the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources funded project.

Read the full story and find out how you can get help with disaster resilience in our latest edition of the Gulf Croaker.

 

 

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