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Better FloodSafe than Sorry

Protecting yourselffrom a flood

During a flash flood • Leaveearlyifthereisthepotentialforyourpropertyorbusiness

tobeimpactedbyflashflooding• NEVERenterorattempttotravelthroughfloodwater-thisisthe

maincauseofdeathduringfloods.Floodwatermaybedeeperorfasterflowingthanyouthinkandmaycontainhiddensnagsanddebris

• Keeplisteningtoyourlocalradiostationforfurtherinformation,updatesandadvice

• Inlife-threateningemergencies,call(Triplezero)• Ifdrivinginheavyrain;putyourhazardlightsonandpulloverto

thesideoftheroad.Keepclearofdrains,causeways,gutters,streams,creeksandlowpointsontheroad

• Ifoutdoors;stayawayfromdrains,causeways,gutters,streams,creeks,treesandpowerlines

DisasterRecoveryCentresareestablishedfollowingsomedisasters.Recoverycentresprovidearangeofwelfareservicesincludingfinancialassistance,personalsupport,organisingtemporaryaccommodationandprovidinginformationandreferrals.

Ifyouhavebeenaffectedbyfloodsandrequireassistance,contactDisasterWelfareServiceson1800018444.

After a flood – returning to your home or businessSevereweatherandflashfloodingcanresultindamagetopropertyandarangeofpotentialsafetyissues.Whenreturningtoyourproperty:

• Ensurethestructuralstabilityofyourpropertybeforeentering.Checkfordamagetowindows,wallsandtheroof.Beawareofpotentialcontaminantsincludingasbestos

• Makesuretheelectricityandgasareturnedoffbeforegoinginside.Useatorchtocarryoutinspectionsinsidebuildings

• Ifpowerpoints,electricalequipment,appliancesorelectricalhotwatersystemshavebeenexposedtofloodwaterorarewaterdamagedinanyway,theymustbeinspectedbyaqualifiedelectricianbeforeuse

• Gasappliancesandgasbottlesthathavebeenexposedtofloodwatershouldbeinspectedforsafetybeforeuse

• Wearsuitableprotectiveclothing,includingbootsandgloves,whencleaningup

• Nevereatfoodwhichhasbeenincontactwithfloodwater• Onlyusecleaneatingutensils,toothbrushes,towelsor

handkerchiefsFormoreinformationonpersonalandhouseholdsafetyafterafloodvisittheEmergencyManagementNSWwebsiteathttp://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/flood

Every family and business should put together an Emergency Kit.

FOR EMERGENCY HELP IN FLOODSAND STORMS CALL THE SES ON

132 500IN LIFE-THREATENING EMEGENCIES

CALL 000

SESwebsite www.ses.nsw.gov.au

RockdaleCityCouncil(businesshours) 0295621666

RockdaleCityCouncilwebsite www.rockdale.nsw.gov.au

BureauofMeteorologywebsite www.bom.gov.au

How the SES can help youTheSESisresponsibleforrespondingtofloodsinNSW.Thisincludesplanningforfloodsandeducatingpeopleabouthowtoprotectthemselvesandtheirproperty.

DuringflashfloodstheSESwillprovidefloodinformation,safetyadviceandmayprovideassistancewithpropertyprotectionandwaterremoval.Whereappropriate,theSESwillconductevacuationsandundertakefloodrescue.

Rockdale City Council Area

RockdaleArea

Top: Flooding at Subway Road BanksiaBottom: WolliCreekinfloodnearHendersonStreetTurrella

Prepare yourselfItisimportanttoprepareyourfamilyandpropertynowforthepossibilityoffloodingasflashfloodscanoccuratanytimeoftheyear.

Findoutaboutyourfloodriskandcheckyourinsurancepolicy.DevelopaFloodSafePlanandidentifyyourevacuationroute.

SomeotherbasicmeasuresyoucantakerightnowincludekeepingalistofemergencynumbersnearthetelephoneandassemblinganEmergencyKit.

YourEmergencyKitcontents:

• Aportableradiowithsparebatteries• Atorchwithsparebatteries• Afirstaidkit(withsuppliesnecessaryforyourhouseholdor

business)• Candlesandwaterproofmatches• Importantpapersincludingemergencycontactnumbers• Awaterproofbagforvaluables• AcopyofanyEmergencyPlansforyourhomeorbusiness

Whenfloodingislikely,placeinyourEmergencyKit:

• Importantpapers,mementoesandphotos• Agoodsupplyofrequiredmedications• Anyspecialrequirementsforbabiesandthedisabled,infirm

and/orelderly• Strongshoes• Suitablefoodanddrinks

IfyouownormanageabusinessinaflashfloodproneareayourbusinessshouldhaveaBusinessFloodSafePlan.TheSEShasaninteractive‘BusinessFloodSafeToolkit’availableontheSESwebsite.YoucanusethistoolkittodevelopyourBusinessFloodSafePlan.MakesurethatyourBusinessFloodSafePlaniscomplete,up-to-dateandkeptsomewherehandy.

TheSESalsohasaHomeFloodSafeToolkittohelphouseholdersinflashfloodproneareasprepareforfloods.ThistoolkitisavailablefromtheSESandwillhelpyoutodevelopalistofactionstobedonebefore,duringandafteraflood.

Better FloodSafe than Sorry

Are you at risk from floods?ManypartsoftheRockdaleCityCouncilareaaresubjecttoflooding(seemap).ThemajorityoffloodsaretheresultofflashfloodingalongtheCooksRiveranditstributaries,theseinclude:

• WolliCreek

• BardwellCreek

• MuddyCreek

• BonnieDoonChannel

LowlyingareasawayfromtheCooksRivercanalsoexperienceflashflooding,evenwhentheCooksRiverisnotinflood.SusceptibleareasincludethosesurroundingScarboroughPondsandthecreeksinSansSouci.NopartoftheRockdaleCityareacanbeconsideredfreefromflashfloodingassociatedwithsevereweather.

Flashfloodsresultfromveryheavyrainfallduringshortintensestormsandoccurwithlittleornowarning.Floodwaterrunsdownhillalongroads,throughgardensandmayenterhomesandbusinesses.Evenshallowwaterisverypowerfulandcancarrylargeamountsofdebris.Peopleareoftensweptawayafterenteringfloodwateronfootorinvehicles.Thisistheleadingcauseofdeathduringfloods.IntheRockdaleCityarea,particularlydangerouslocationsduringflashfloodingare:

• Basementcarparks

• Railunderpasses

FloodingintheRockdaleCityareahasoccurredmanytimesinthepast70years.Youorsomeoneyouknowislikelytohaveexperiencedaflashfloodinthisarea.Theseverityofflashfloodingvariessignificantly.Itisimportantto

Main flood-prone locations in the Rockdale City Council Area

When flash flooding is likelyTheBureauofMeteorology(BoM)issuesSevereThunderstormorSevereWeatherWarningswhenheavyrainfallorstormsarepredicted.Thisisawarningforweatherthatcancauseflashflooding.Flashfloodscanoccurwithlittleornowarning.Monitorweatherconditionsandplanearlyforwhatyouwilldo.

IntheRockdaleCityCouncilarea,veryheavyrainfalllastingevenafewminutescanproducesignificantflashflooding.Thedepthorarrivaltimeoffloodwaterisdifficulttopredictwithcertainty.

Duetothelife-threateningnatureofflashfloods,thesafestactionistoevacuatehomesandbusinessesbeforeflashfloodingbegins.Inhighlysusceptibleareasthismaymeanevacuatingbeforeheavyrainfallcommences.Failuretoevacuatemayresultinyoubecomingtrappedinsidethebuilding.Ifyoubecometrapped,itmaybesafertostayinsideandseekrefugeatthehighestpointofthebuildingthantoenterfloodwater.Takingrefugeinabuildingisnoguaranteeofsafety.Itisverydangerousandmayisolateyoufromrescueormedicaltreatment.Yoursafetydependsonthestructuralstabilityoftheindividualpropertyandotherfactors.Evacuatingearlyistheonlysafeactionifyouliveorworkinaflashfloodpronearea.

Makeearlypreparationstoplanyourevacuationandprotectyourproperty.Bealert,keepaneyeontheweatherandbepreparedtoactshouldfloodingoccur.

• Listentoyourlocalradiostationforinformation,updatesandadvice

• ActivateyourFloodSafePlan(seetheNSWSESwebsiteformoreinformation)

• LocateandcheckyourEmergencyKit(seethe‘Prepareyourself’sectionofthisguide)

• Locateimportantpapers,valuablesandmementoesandplacetheminyourEmergencyKit

• Checkifneighbours,friendsandfamilyintheareaareawareofpossibleflooding

• Ensureemployeesareabletogethomebeforeevacuationroutesclose

• Stackpossessions,records,stockorequipmentonbenchesandtables.Placetheelectricalitemsontop

• Relocatewastecontainers,chemicalsandpoisonswellabovefloorlevel

Neverenterorattempttotravelthroughfloodwater.Thisisthemajorcauseofdeathinflashfloods.Considerthelocationofyourhomeorbusinessandplanwhenyouneedtoevacuatesothatyoudonothavetoenterfloodwatertogettoasafeplace.Ifyouliveorworkoutsideaflashfloodproneareayoushouldavoidenteringfloodwaterorseekalternativerouteswhengoingaboutroutinetravel.

How you will be advised of a coming floodTheRockdaleCityCouncilareaisaffectedbyflashfloodshowever,specificweatherwarningsormonitoringandwarningofhighwaterlevelsincreeksintheareaarenotcurrentlypracticable.

TheBureauofMeteorology(BoM)issuesDetailedSevereThunderstorm,SevereWeatherWarningsandFloodWatchesfortheSydneyregionwhenheavyrainfallorstormsarepredicted.Warningswillbebroadcastoverlocalradiostationssuchas:

702 ABC Sydney AM 702

ThesewarningswillalsobeavailablealongwithadditionalweatherinformationontheBureauofMeteorologywebsitewww.bom.gov.au

Ifflashfloodingisimminent,theSESmayissueevacuationordersforspecificareaswithintheRockdaleCityCouncilarea.Thesewillbebroadcastovertheaboveradiostation.

Preparing to evacuateTheSESaimstokeeppeoplesafeandminimisetheriskstolifeandpropertyduringfloodssoitisimportantthatyoufollowevacuationadvice.Beingpreparedwillallowyoutorespondquicklyifyouneedtoevacuate.

• TakeyourEmergencyKitwithyou• Turnofftheelectricityandgasatthemainsbeforeyouleave.

Turnoffandsecureanygasbottles• Preparetotakeyourpetswithyou

When you evacuateDuetotheunpredictableandlife-threateningnatureofflashfloods,thesafestactionistoevacuatehomesandbusinessesbeforeflashfloodingbegins.Inhighlysusceptibleareasthismaymeanthatyoudecidetoevacuatebeforeheavyrainfallcommences.

TheNSWSESmayissueanevacuationwarning.Thismeansthatflashfloodingisimminentinyourareaandyoushouldfollowthesafetyadviceimmediately.Ifanevacuationwarningisissued,emergencyservicespersonnelmaydoorknocktoadviseresidentsandbusinessesofwhattodoandwheretogo.Theremaybeotherwaysthatyouwillbenotifiedifanevacuationisnecessary.Keeplisteningtotheradioandfollowanyinstructionsgivenbytheemergencyservices.

Ifanevacuationwarninghasbeenissued,theSESwilladvisewhenitissafetoreturntotheareaaftersevereweatherconditionsandfloodinghavepassed.

considerthatfuturefloodingmaybedifferenttowhatyouhaveexperienced.

Preparingforfloodingcanreducetheimpactonyourfamily,propertyandbusiness.

ContactRockdaleCityCouncilforfurtheradviceonhowfloodingcandirectlyaffectyourproperty.FurtherfloodinformationandpreparednessadviceisavailableontheCouncilwebsiteatwww.rockdale.nsw.gov.auandtheNSWSESwebsiteatwww.ses.nsw.gov.au