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Emergency response planning
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Introduction

Natural disasters such as flood, fire, strong winds, other weather events or an emergency disease outbreak may have the potential to occur in your area.
 
It is important to have an emergency response plan in place to ensure you respond to an emergency situation in a safe and effective way that will minimise harm. This is the best way to protect the family, horses and other livestock, property and assets. It is too late once the emergency starts.
 
Steps to achieve best practice

 
Step 1

Draw up an emergency response plan for your property. You should do this together with family or staff. Assistance with emergency planning can be obtained from organisations such as the Coutry Fire Service (CFS), State Emergency Service (SES), local Council, and Department of Primary Industries and Resources SA (see links).
 
Your emergency response plan should cover the range of emergency situations that could potentially occur on your property, such as:
  • fire, including bushfire (see Fire prevention planning)
  • flood, drought, strong winds or storm,
  • livestock disease outbreak, and
  • accidental spillage or leakage of chemicals.
The South Australian State Emergency Service has a list of basic rules for emergencies:-
  1. Be aware of threats from natural disasters to life and property.
  2. List numbers of all essential and emergency services shown on the inside front cover of you telephone directory for quick reference.
  3. Always ensure your transistor radio (battery operated) is at hand and working.
  4. When you become aware that a disaster may occur, or has occurred, listen to your radio and follow official warnings and advice.
  5. Always have available a torch for emergency lighting (naked flames could cause explosions).
 
Step 2

Make sure all relevant people are aware of your plan - family, staff, visitors, neighbours and relevant authorities e.g. CFS.
 
 
Step 3

Test your plan (e.g. do an emergency drill). This will identify any problems within the plan and will ensure all relevant persons are aware of and have participated in the implementation of the plan.
 
 
Step 4

Review your plan every year and update it if needed.
 
  
Best Practice
 
An emergency response plan is documented, communicated to all relevant people, and reviewed annually.

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