How To Stay Safe During Storm Season On The Gold Coast

While this week alone parts of the Northern Hemisphere have been struck by a polar vortex and uncharacteristically freezing cold conditions, those of us Down Under have been suffering our own fate – Far North Queensland has been pummelled with uncompromising rain & flooding while Tasmanian's are struggling to control the powerful wild fires amongst the windy conditions. Whilst the Gold Coast has been lucky to escape the severe conditions so far, these eye opening events highlight the need to be prepared for almost anything that mother nature can throw at us. 

One thing is becoming apparent… It’s getting harder and harder to deny the imminent effects of climate change. The Gold Coast has had an unrelenting summer heat this season and judging by history, that means we could be due for some severe storms.

Certainly on the Gold Coast, summertime is particularly renowned for devastating storms, floods and bushfires. This summer is no different.

Therefore, there’s never been a better time to stay on top of your emergency preparation game. We sat down with Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate to discuss what this means for locals.

“Once a year my family and myself will pull out [our emergency plan] and go through it to make sure it’s current and still makes sense,”

- Mayor Tom Tate

And the message from the City of Gold Coast is very clear – we should all be doing the same.

“Everywhere on the Coast has its own set of risks. If you live in a low lying area near a creek than you should be aware of the flood risk in the area, while some of our hinterland residents are more worried about bushfires. But really it doesn’t matter where you live – if you do your planning now, you will be best placed to deal with anything.”

- Tom Tate, Gold Coast Mayor

A vital part of an emergency plan is a disaster emergency kit. While most of the items that should be included in the kit (torch, first aid kit, tools, batteries, medication, etc.) can easily be found around the house, Mayor Tate explains the importance of going to the effort of compiling them all.

Photo credit: Pexels.

“Take a few minutes to bring all of those things together in one place, so when you are faced with an emergency situation you don’t have to think about it.”

- Tom Tate, Gold Coast Mayor

For the first time, however, Mayor Tate’s council has taken precautions to the next level by introducing the City of Gold Coast Disaster Management Dashboard. Mayor Tate refers to the website as a one-stop-shop of kinds.

“The Dashboard is a great tool for finding everything you need in one place. If you are looking for weather updates, road closures or beach information, it’s all there.”

- Tom Tate, Gold Coast Mayor

But the innovation in spreading awareness among the community doesn’t stop there. As a way of further promoting their #GetReadyGoldCoast safety campaign, the City of Gold Coast are giving away a $1,500 Camera House voucher for one lucky Facebook user who takes part in their storm season photo competition here. Not bad at all if you ask us!

Photo credit: Gold Coast Bulletin.

While we’re on the topic, why not take a moment to have a look over the following information and make sure you’re fully prepared for how best to prevent and deal with each of these emergency scenarios?

• Severe storms
  • Clear your roof and gutters from leaves and tree branches
  • Check on your neighbour before or after a storm
  • Never pick up a fallen power line
  • Never swim at a closed beach
• Floods
  • If it’s flooded, forget it. Leave it alone and contact the SAS.
  • It only takes a small amount of water to wash your car off the road in a flash flood. Don’t risk getting behind the wheel!
  • Make alternative plans if the road to your home requires you to drive across rivers or creeks
  • If your property is likely to be isolated in a flood, stock up on non-perishables
• Bushfires
  • Trim overhanging tree branches and bushes around the home
  • Clear potential fire fuel from near your property, such as wood piles, boxes and petrol cans
  • Make sure you have sufficient water supply
  • Ensure valuables are in a safe and easy to access location

Photo credit: Pexels.

We never know when an emergency or natural disaster will hit, but by planning ahead we can do our best to look after our family, our community and ourselves. Now is the time to put plans in place. Now is the time to Get Ready Gold Coast.

For more information, including real time alerts and updates on weather and roads during severe storms and natural disasters, visit City of Gold Coast here today.