Before a Flood

STEP 1: Know Your Risk

Recognise the environment that you live in.

Is your property prone to flooding?

• Find out about the local flood history (see below)
• Know the heights at which your home, business and/or property and local roads could be affected by floodwater
• Contact council if you want more information on how flooding could directly affect your property
• Talk with people who have lived in the area for a long time, to hear about their experiences of floods locally
• Be aware of the amount of rain falling in upper catchment areas that could impact your property and access to your property.

 

Check if you are in a flood prone area.

Check the Tweed Shire Council page to access flood information for your property and to generate a flood report

Go to the Tweed Council’s Property Flood Reports

Go to the SES’ Flood Awareness page for our LGA

 

Check local river heights & rainfall

Here’s a link to live River Heights and Rainfall for areas that impact Greater Uki. You can view a map of the latest river and rainfall observations at the BOM site HERE.

View River Heights for Greater Uki and Northern Rivers

View 24hr Rainfall for Greater Uki and Northern Rivers

View 1hr Rainfall for Greater Uki and Northern Rivers

> Additional  live rainfall data is available through private gauges in the Greater Uki area at: Mount Burrell, Byrrill Creek (Pretty Gully), Terragon, Top of Smiths Creek (Ryans Rd),  Bottom of Smiths Creek (Clareville Rd).<<

 

See tips from the SES on getting ready for a flood

They have lots of information on their ‘things you can do before a flood’ webpage, including:

1. Know your risk
2. Know where to go
3. Know who to call
4. Know your plan
5. Get your kit together
6. Prepare now to act early
7. Check your insurance
8. Listen to local radio

Make sure you are familiar with using useful apps and links…

Make sure you are familiar with using useful apps and links during rainfall events. Often roads are affected even though it may not be flooding where you are. In particular, know your way around the Hazards Near Me App, the BOM, Tweed Shire Council (TSC) Emergency Dashboard and Live Flood Monitoring Cameras from TSC.

 

STEP 2: Plan

Make your Emergency Plan

To help households and businesses plan for flooding, the NSW SES has developed a Home Emergency Plan and Business FloodSafe Toolkit.

See links below to prepare your plan.

 

Make your plan Online

For your Home

Go to the SES’ ‘Home Emergency Plan’ page

 

For your Business

Go to the SES’ ‘Business Emergency Plan’ page

 

Check the Tweed Shire Council page to access flood information for your property and to generate a flood report

Tweed shire council flood awareness map

Go to the Tweed Council’s Property Flood Reports

 

Be familiar with different flood warnings

Please be aware that current Bureau of Meteorology flood warnings in our area are only issued for the Tweed River at Murwillumbah and downstream of Murwillumbah, so no flood warnings are issued for the Greater Uki area. Therefore, as mentioned above,  it is very important for us to rely on local information to understand local flood conditions.

1. Know the official Bureau of Meteorology flood warning products – Flood watch and flood warnings are issued by the Bureau of Meteorology
   
2. Know the official NSW SES flood warning products – The NSW SES issues community-specific warnings once a Flood Watch or Flood Warning product is published by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology.
   
3. View all current NSW SES WARNINGS – www.ses.nsw.gov.au
4. Monitor your Flood Situation and monitor the likelihood of flash floodings and landslips.
   
5. Learn to interpret Flood Levels issued by the Bureau of Meteorology
   
6. Understand Dam Failure Alerts – In New South Wales dam safety is monitored in most circumstances by the owner of the dam. During heavy rainfall or a flooding upstream, high volumes of water can create additional pressure on the dam wall and may affect its structural integrity. In some instances water can be released to relieve this pressure. Prescribed dams often have early warning systems for communities that lie downstream of the dam and close to the dam.

Go to the SES’ website

 

STEP 3: Prepare

Prepare your Property

 

If your property is prone to flooding:

• Store all chemicals and poisons above ground level in case of flash flooding.
• Identify which indoor items you will need to raise if flooding threatens your home (e.g. freezers, fridges, washing machines).
• Identify the most important farm equipment to move to higher ground. Have a plan.
• Get out with a mattock and make sure your drains are clear – to save your road or driveway
• By taking simple actions to improve your home’s flood resilience of your home, you can avoid some heartache when the next big flood comes.
  View ‘How to Improve Flood Resilience for Homeowners’ videos from Sustainable Brisbane for more information.

• Renovating a room? Now’s your chance to do it with the new flood resilient materials and design. This means it’s a simple wash-down after flooding.

 

 

Make an emergency plan for your animals/livestock

You are responsible for your animals.

Consider making an animal Evacuation Kit, tag your animals for identification and identify family or friends who can help care for your animals in the event of flooding.
If you have livestock and large animals on your property, it is important to take steps to plan for their welfare in the event of a flood.

Download the fact-sheet below to help you.
Download and print your plan below if you have animals or livestock.

Download the SES’ ‘Get Animals Ready’ fact-sheet

 

Get your emergency kit together

Prepare an emergency survival kit before the wet season starts.

Having a prepared kit means having easy access to things that can help you survive a flood or other natural disaster.
It will be in one handy location.

Here are some tips from the SES on how to put together an emergency kit. Keep your emergency kit in a waterproof storage container.

Your Emergency Kit contents:

• Portable radio with spare batteries
• Torch with spare batteries
• First aid kit (with supplies necessary for your household)
• Candles and waterproof matches
• Important papers including emergency contact numbers
• Copy of any Home Emergency Plans
• Waterproof bag for valuables

 

When leaving or evacuating your property, place in your emergency kit:

• A good supply of required medications
• Any special requirements and supplies for babies, the disabled, infirm and/or elderly
• Appropriate clothing and footwear
• Non-perishable food and drinking water

See the Emergency Kit Poster from the SES to help you with your emergency kit.

Download the SES’ ‘Emergency Kit Poster’ as PDF

 

To stay informed, go to the useful apps & links page to download relevant apps and links.

In an emergency situation, electricity connections may be down.

Consider having alternatives nearby such as gas cookers and generators if you are in an area that is likely to be cut off for a time during a flood.
Think about your water source if your water tank pump fails or if the town water supply is contaminated/damaged and you are unable to leave your home to get supplies.
Be prepared by filling up your bathtub and containers so have ample water for a few days.

The Tweed Shire Council Emergency Dashboard also has links to apps.

Go to the Tweed Shire Emergency Dashboard

 

Check out the SES resources below on flood preparation.

Go to the SES’ ‘Prepare your Home’ page

Go to the SES’ ‘During a Flood’ page

 

Join your neighbourhood hub & get to know your neighbours.

Go to RUKI’s ‘Neighbourhood Groups’ page