Wild weather is part of living on the Sunshine Coast. Every summer, we experience many types of disasters, including bushfires, heatwaves, flooding and cyclones.
You may have grown up with thunderstorms and lightning rumbling and cracking across the evening sky, but for the younger members of your family, extreme weather events and their impacts, like blackouts and flooding, can be very frightening. For many, it may be the first time they’ve experienced wild weather.
Babies and children have a limited understanding of what’s happening around them. But being prepared before a weather emergency can make a big difference in how they respond and cope. And, if you’re calm and confident when the sky cracks, the kids are more likely to be, too. Instead of it being scary, wild weather can be an exciting experience!
Get Ready Queensland recommends your first step is to have an open discussion about disaster risk with your family and let them help with preparation activities such as:
- Cleaning up the yard
- Completing and checking your emergency plan
- Shopping for emergency kit items
- Packing your emergency kit and evacuation kit
- Practising your evacuation plan
- Checking weather reports
- Looking after household pets
Mother and children preparing an emergency kit as Queensland storm season begins
Helpful resources to prepare for storm season in Queensland
You can take a few simple steps to get your family wild weather ready.
- Understand your risk
- Prepare a household emergency plan
- Pack an emergency kit
Get Ready Queensland website – you’ll find some great activities designed by the Queensland Centre for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health that can help you start the conversation with your kids (both young and older) about what weather we might face this summer. There, you’ll also find a Household Emergency and Evacuation Plan template.
Connect with Council and Queensland’s Emergency Services for the most up-to-date information when the next natural disaster happens.
Sunshine Coast Council Disaster Hub has up-to-date information and links to key emergency services in one location.
www.bom.gov.au/qld for the latest weather information
http://www.qfes.qld.gov.au/Current-Incidents For a map and current bushfire and weather warnings, go to Queensland Fire & Emergency Services
