Preparing for severe weather in Victoria this weekend

Severe weather warning for the weekend of 1-3 December

Victorians have been been issued with a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall, likely flooding and possible thunderstorms from Friday 1st December through to Sunday 3rd December. There is also a risk of fire and lightning strikes across the state.

Once the rain starts, it is important to heed warnings to stay indoors and not drive or walk through flood waters.

 

Stop what you’re doing – read this and RT. Here are ten things to note about the extreme weather we’re going to face: pic.twitter.com/G8XS4QSwaj

— Daniel Andrews (@DanielAndrewsMP) November 30, 2017

Familiarise yourself with your local flood guide

The State Emergency Service (SES) has compiled a handy list of local flood guides which can be found HERE: https://www.ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready/your-local-flood-information.

These guides have a wealth of information, including emergency guides, checklists and procedures for your local area.

Download the VicEmergency smartphone app

The VicEmergency app will be the quickest and easiest way to receive any relevant emergency warnings.

Tenant information

The following precautions can assist in keeping yourself and the property safe:

• Secure any loose items in the garden, balcony or outdoor areas.
• If safe to do so, clear any drain pipes and guttering
• Turn off and unplug non-essential electrical devices to avoid power surge damage
• Keep doors, windows and curtains closed
• If you need to evacuate, turn off the gas, water and electricity before you leave the property

In the event of an emergency – please refer to your lease agreement for emergency details.

Should you require after hours urgent maintenance, follow advised urgent repair procedure as indicated by your property manager at the commencement of your tenancy.

Please note that in the case of an emergency, the Residential Tenancy Act of 1997 allows you to organise urgent repairs on weekends if you cannot contact your Property Manager.

Urgent repairs are:

• burst water service
• blocked or broken toilet system
• serious roof leak
• gas leak
• dangerous electrical fault
• flooding or serious flood damage
• serious storm or fire damage
• failure or breakdown of any essential service or appliance provided by a landlord or agent for hot water, water, cooking, heating, or laundering
• failure or breakdown of the gas, electricity or water supply
• any fault or damage in the premises that makes the premises unsafe or insecure
• an appliance, fitting or fixture that is not working properly and causes a substantial amount of water to be wasted
• a serious fault in a lift or staircase.

Important Note: Tradespeople can only attend to and repair storm damage when it is safe to do. OH&S/Worksafe regulations and requirements must be adhered to – contractors safety and lives cannot be put at risk. Therefore tradespeople may not be able to repair leaks during rain or storm conditions.

Plan ahead and stay safe

Below are some important tips and information from the SES on how to prepare for a flood:

• For flood and storm emergency assistance call 132 500;
• Information about how to prepare your home and business for a flood can be found on the VICSES website  www.ses.vic.gov.au/prepare/floodsafe;
• Decide what you and your family will do if flooding impacts you. Information on how to prepare is available at www.ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready;
• Monitor conditions regularly on the Vic Emergency website https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/;
• Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater;
• During a flood, stay away from fallen trees, power lines and damaged buildings;
• During a flood, stay away from drains, culverts and waterways as water can rise and flow quickly;
• A number of local flood guides and emergency plans explaining local flood risks are available at www.ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready/your-local-flood-information;
• For those looking to obtain sandbags, these can be purchased from your local hardware store. Sandbag collection points have now been established in various areas throughout metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Find your local collection point at www.ses.vic.gov.au/-/sandbag-guide?inheritRedirect=true&redirect=%2F.

Don’t forget to think of your family and neighbours, keeping in mind the elderly, children and animals.