During an emergency

Melbourne Australia April 13 2018 Fire Stock Photo

Put your emergency plan into action 

If dangerous conditions are expected near you, consider leaving the night before or in the morning. 

Get your emergency plan and home emergency kit and follow your plan, depending on which emergency has occurred. Keep informed by listening to your local radio station or ABC Radio, and by checking the VicEmergency App.  

Stay informed during an emergency 

During an emergency, it is essential to keep up to date with the latest information.  

Key sources of information include: 

VicEmergency App

The VicEmergency App provides up-to-date emergency information and warnings. Make sure you have downloaded the app on your phone and set a watch zone so you receive localised alerts and warnings. You can download the VicEmergency app from the App Store or Google Play. 

Radio

Phone service may be disrupted, so it is recommended you have a small battery-operated radio to receive essential updates and alerts. ABC Melbourne is 774AM, and Plenty Valley FM is 88.6FM. Write the radio frequencies on a sticker and put this on your portable radio so you can easily find the stations during an emergency.  

TV

SkyNews has a 24-hour TV channel that provides emergency information to viewers. 

Emergency warnings

Learn more about the emergency warning symbols, as you may see these on apps, signage or official websites during an emergency. 

For more information on warnings, visit Understanding warnings – VicEmergency.

Fire danger rating and total fire bans

The fire danger rating is issued by the CFA on days there is a fire risk. Fire danger ratings tell you how dangerous a fire could be if one started. 

Total fire bans are declared by the CFA on days of heightened fire danger, to reduce the risk of a fire starting. 

For more information, including what you can and can’t do on a total fire ban, visit Fire Bans, Ratings and Restrictions | CFA (Country Fire Authority).