Australia is a beautiful place to live — but it can also be unpredictable. Bushfires, floods, cyclones, power outages, heatwaves, storms… even a simple car breakdown in the wrong place can become dangerous quickly.
When emergencies happen, people often assume they’ll “figure it out in the moment.” But the truth is: in a crisis, stress shuts down clear thinking. That’s why having a survival plan matters.
And here’s the good news: a survival plan doesn’t have to be intense, expensive, or complicated. Even just thinking through what you’d do in an emergency is a powerful first step.
Emergencies Don’t Send a Calendar Invite
One of the scariest things about emergencies is how suddenly they happen.
A fire can jump containment lines in minutes. Flash flooding can cut off roads with almost no warning. A storm can knock out power for days. A heatwave can push vulnerable people into serious danger fast.
When people are caught off guard, panic usually follows — and panic is what leads to poor decisions:
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driving into floodwater
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staying too long in a fire zone
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not knowing where children or pets are
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running out of water, medication, or phone battery
A survival plan isn’t about being dramatic — it’s about being realistic.
A Plan Buys You Time (and Calm)
When you have a plan, you reduce the number of decisions you need to make under pressure.
Instead of:
“What do we do??”
You move to:
“We already know what to do.”
That shift matters because calm saves lives. It helps you:
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leave earlier
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pack faster
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contact the right people
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avoid risky choices
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keep kids and pets safer
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support neighbours instead of being overwhelmed yourself
A Survival Plan Can Be as Simple as “If X, then Y”
A lot of people don’t create plans because they picture something huge and complicated.
But a survival plan can be ridiculously simple, like:
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If there’s a bushfire warning, we leave immediately (no waiting around to see).
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If the power goes out, we grab torches, charge power banks, and check the radio.
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If the roads flood, we don’t drive through, we turn around.
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If we can’t contact each other, we meet at this exact place.
That’s a plan.
Even mental rehearsals (“what would I do if…?”) improve your response in real life.
The Best Emergency Plan Covers 5 Basics
If you want something quick and practical, focus on these essentials:
1) Communication
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Who do you call first?
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Who is your out-of-area contact?
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What if phone service goes down?
Tip: Choose one friend or relative outside your area as a “check-in contact.”
2) Meeting points
Have two:
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one close to home
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one outside your neighbourhood in case the area is blocked
3) Evacuation
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Which route will you take?
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What’s your backup route?
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What will you grab if you only have 2 minutes?
4) Supplies
You don’t need a bunker. Start small:
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water
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torches and batteries
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first aid kit
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medications
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portable phone chargers
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important documents
5) Special needs
Plan for the real-life stuff:
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pets
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babies/young kids
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mobility issues
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elderly family members
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anxiety and sensory needs
Emergencies are harder when you’re improvising these things on the spot.
Your Plan Is a Gift to Your Family
Here’s something people don’t talk about enough:
If you don’t have a plan, your family will still look to you for decisions.
That’s a lot of pressure.
Having a plan isn’t just practical — it’s protective. It means:
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less fear
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fewer arguments in a crisis
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less chance of someone getting left behind
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more confidence for everyone involved
And it sets a great example for kids: preparedness without panic.
You Don’t Need to Live in Fear — Just Live Prepared
Having a survival plan doesn’t mean you’re paranoid.
It’s like wearing a seatbelt. You don’t wear it because you expect to crash — you wear it because you understand life can surprise you.
Same with emergency planning.
And even if your entire plan is just:
“If something happens, we leave early, take the emergency bag, and meet at our friend’s house.”
That’s still miles ahead of doing nothing.
Start Today: A 10-Minute Survival Plan Challenge
If you want to take action right now, do this:
✅ Pick one emergency most likely in your area (fire, flood, storm, power outage)
✅ Decide your “leave early” trigger
✅ Choose a meeting point
✅ Choose one contact person
✅ Make a list of 10 things you’d grab
That’s it.
You’ve just created a survival plan.
