Emergency preparedness

How prepared are you for an Emergency?

Toongabbie has a history of fire and floods and as a community member you are valuable in prevention, preparation and recovery from the impacts of emergencies. 

This page provides links to relevant websites and information packages to assist you in preparing for emergencies. 

Toongabbie suffers from mobile blackspots.  There is limited and unreliable mobile phone  coverage, if possible, have a land line phone in your house as a back up.

Welcome Packs

Welcome Packs are available to new residents and include information on Emergency Preparedness. The main brochure can be downloaded here or collected from the General Store

Community Bushfire Connection

The Community Bushfire Connection website has information on bushfires in Gippsland including historytell your story and the Toongabbie specific page.

Emergencies

The Latrobe City website has information regarding emergency contacts for fire and flood. 

Have you heard of the Latrobe Valley Information Network?

The Latrobe Valley Information Network is a region wide real-time environmental monitoring network combining bushfire and flood detection. Visit the website to see the current information. For more information refer to the flyer.

Stay Informed

Keep up to date with events and community information sessions

Ways you can prepare

  • Prepare your property – visit the CFA’s website for resources, checklists and planning templates 
  • Have a plan and a back up plan, practice it regularly and tell your friends and neighbours what it  is 
  • Know your neighbours and check if any are vulnerable or require assistance before/during/after  emergencies 
  • Download useful emergency apps onto your phone BEFORE emergency events and set alerts  ON 
  • Check whether the CFA trucks can get onto your properties 
  • Plan for your animals (pets, equine, livestock and others) 
  • Join community meetings and events on preparedness and other related community initiatives/ activities 
  • Create a phone tree with your neighbours 
  • Have an emergency pack ready to go – there are prompts on the CFA website

Horses and Livestock

Have you prepared your horses, livestock and other animals for emergency?

Where will you go? How will you get there? What will your animals need?

These are all things that need to be considered and prepared for. 

Things to consider

  • There is no Neighbourhood Safer Place – Place of Last Resort in Toongabbie.
  • There will likely be roadblocks and impromptu  congregating at the cricket pitch and/or recreation reserve during a fire event. These are not deemed safe evacuation points. It is  safest for you and more helpful for the emergency services if you leave early. We’ve  learned from past fires that both main roads  (to Sale and to Traralgon) can get smoky and  dangerous to drive on, all the more reason to  leave early and avoid these conditions.
  • Toongabbie suffers from mobile blackspots.  There is limited and unreliable mobile phone  coverage and the phone tower reaches capacity when overwhelmed. If possible, have a land line phone in your house as a back up.
  • It’s better to rely on the radio for emergency  updates and warnings (don’t forget spare batteries in your emergency bag). The phone coverage is too unreliable to depend on accessing  social media, apps or websites.
  • Don’t rely on an ERC opening. Options for  emergency relief centres (ERC) at Traralgon  and Sale can be limited or the centres open too  late. When leaving early, consider who you  know in major towns like Traralgon or Sale who  you may be able to stay with temporarily. 
  • Get to know your rights and responsibilities  of being a rural land owner, particularly with  regards to fire prevention works and land clearing, such as the 10-30/10-50 rule. Contact  Council on 1300 367 700 for more information  about what you can, can’t and what you’re  obliged to do to play your part in fire prevention  and community preparedness.
  • If you plan to stay and defend your property,  ensure you are very well prepared and  have enough water – invest in water tanks prior  to fire season. Refer to https://www.cfa.vic.gov.au/plan-prepare/stay-and actively-defendfor more information.
  • In previous fire events we’ve lost access to town water  and experienced low water pressure.
  • Plan for the smallest details, like having a full  tank of fuel in your car and putting personal/ sentimental things in boxes or a suitcase ready  to go.
  • Have adequate insurance for your property  and assets, use the cover straightaway to  maximise the benefits. For information on  bushfire insurance, visit: https://www.disasterlegalhelp.org.au/

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