Stay resilient in the face of emergency

Last modified on 19 September 2022

A bad storm, fire, extreme flooding or electricity outage can have devastating consequences for those who are unprepared.

That’s why Willoughby City Council is calling on residents to think ahead and complete an emergency plan on the Get Prepared app as part of the Red Cross Emergency Ready Week from 19-25 September.

This year Council has released a preparing for emergencies video, as part of the Resilient Willoughby Strategy and Action Plan, tailored to provide critical preparedness information to engage culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities.

The Get Prepared app is a user-friendly tool that can be tailored to plan for any type of emergency. It can connect people to a network of emergency contacts, help identify localised risks and provide a checklist.

Willoughby City Mayor Tanya Taylor said it was vital for residents to be more resilient to the threats of a changing climate.

“In recent times we have seen more frequent severe weather events whether that be flooding or extreme heat, which can lead to emergencies,” Mayor Taylor said.

“Council has been working hard to help our community withstand the impact of climate change and other pressures under our Resilient Willoughby Strategy and Action Plan.

“I encourage everyone to put themselves in the best position to stay safe.”

The Resilient Willoughby Strategy and Action Plan identifies shocks and stresses most likely to impact on the people of Willoughby, and proposes a range of actions to help the community overcome them.

Under the Resilient Sydney program, Willoughby City Council is working with other local governments across metropolitan Sydney to encourage residents to take action for Emergency Ready Week.

Resources are available to also assist multicultural communities plan for emergencies, including leaflets translated to simplified Chinese and Korean.