When it's too late to leave

An emergency plan should include where you, your family and your pets will go in case of emergency.

Ideally you should have multiple options in different directions as you never know where the emergency will be coming from. It's important that this place can accommodate you for at least 72 hours. You should also consider your mental wellbeing and that of your dependants, as emergencies can be frightening and it’s important to be in a location you feel safe and welcomed in. It is worth considering that you may need to be there for an extended period under stressful conditions.

If relevant, you should also have a location for horses and livestock, this may be a safe place on your property, or they may need to be relocated. It is the responsibility of animal owners to have a plan in place for their animals.

The location may be:

• several hours away from your home
• a hotel or motel
• a campground in a safe location away from the emergency
• the home of a friend or family member

It is important to note that a relief centre should not be a location when planning to leave early.

Register Find Reunite

When relocating you should take the time to register you and your family’s details on Australian Red Cross 'Register Find Reunite (RFR). By registering on RFR your family and close friends will be able to find out basic information about your safety and whereabouts if they cannot contact you directly.

How will you get there?

In an emergency, phone and internet service is likely to be impacted as is road access. It is important to have a number of routes planned to leave in an emergency situation and to have practiced these prior to the emergency. Do not rely on online maps being available. 

Leaving early to avoid road congestion or blocked roads is critically important. Many people have died in emergencies by leaving too late.

Emergency Relief Centres

In the event of an emergency that significantly impacts the community, an Emergency Relief Centre (ERC) is often established.

An emergency relief centre is:

• opened and staffed by Council, when told to do so by the Incident Controller
• a place that provides information about the emergency and the support available
• a place you can register your details on Register.Find.Reunite
• busy, loud and emotional at times
• promoted through the VicEmergency App and ABC radio 774AM, or 106.5FM

• where you can access relief support services to assist with your immediate needs (you should plan to bring enough food, water and bedding for the first 72 hours if possible)

An emergency relief centre is not:

• an appropriate destination when leaving the area early, it should only be included on your plan as a place to go when no other options are available to you
• promoted in advance as they may change. Don’t ever assume you know where the emergency relief centre is as this can be dangerous
• always able to accommodate pets or animals, you should check emergency information

Bushfire Place of Last Resort/Neighbourhood Safer Place

A place of last resort

• should only be used when all plans have failed and you are under immediate threat of fire
• not an appropriate destination when leaving the area early
• are relevant only to bushfire emergencies
• is a preidentified area that may provide some protection from direct flame and heat from a fire, but they do not guarantee safety.
• there are no staff or emergency services available
• travelling to and using a place of last resort is dangerous and can lead to mental trauma, serious injury or death
• People sheltering at an NSP-BPLR are likely to experience extreme conditions such as heat, high winds, fire noise, and exposure to flying embers; and may experience breathing difficulties due to smoke and ash

Neighbourhood Safer Places/Bushfire Places of Last Resort