- Get your home ready — check fences, roofs and gutters; make any repairs that are needed.
- Clean gutters and downpipes regularly; secure loose roof tiles/sheets.
- Trim branches that could damage your home or nearby powerlines.
- Make preparations to tie down equipment like trampolines and barbecues, have ropes and ties ready and make sure everyone in the house knows where they are kept.
- Check your home, contents and car insurance is current and covers your assets adequately.
- Identify which room is the strongest part of the house in case you need to shelter in your home during a severe thunderstorm. Usually this would be the smallest room in the house with the fewest windows.
- Get the Bureau of Meteorology weather app on your phone and bookmark the BOM warnings page and radar on computers so you can track storms in your area. Using the notifications setting in the BOM app, select your area to receive alerts on the latest storm warnings.
- Move cars under cover and away from trees
- If you can’t get your car under cover, use hail covers or firmly tied blankets
- Put away or secure loose items like outdoor furniture, pot plants and play equipment
- Create a safe place for your pets out of the storm
- Protect your electrical appliances from possible damage from outages. Use surge protectors or turn them off at the power point
- Check your emergency kit is ready
- Check your battery-powered radio works and is tuned to your local ABC Radio frequency
- Check on neighbours, friends and family members to see if they are safe and prepared
- Figure out where the storm is coming from and think about which areas will provide the most shelter
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- — identify areas of your property least likely to flood.
- —think about potential hazards (e.g. powerlines, trees).
- —what direction do most storm fronts come from in your area? Where can animals shelter from storms?
- —move stock early if storms and severe weather are likely.
- — can they stay in their usual paddock? Are there parts of your property where flooding is less likely?
- —write a list of people and organisations who can help you with your animals if there's a warning issued.
- —tell your immediate family as well as friends and neighbours about your plan.