Single Incident Emergencies

A single incident emergency is defined as an event that has occurred on a small scale, where individuals or families may have had their home or possessions severely damaged or destroyed, through an incident such as a house fire, localised flood, storm, burst pipes or vandalism.

After the Emergency:

• Check with Emergency Service Personnel if your home is safe to stay in or if you need to leave.
• If you can stay ensure services (gas, electricity, water and phone) are inspected and repaired by qualified trades persons prior to their re-connection.
• Secure your home from further damage by weather, vandalism or theft.
• Cancel all delivery services (e.g. Australia Post for redirection of mail, newspapers)

Immediately after an emergency, family and friends will want to you to notify them of your situation. Call a family member and/or friend to help you. Remember to notify your work, children’s schools, insurance company, utilities to cancel services.

Notify the landlord if you rent your home.

We can put you in touch with providers that can offer you support in the coming days and weeks.

• Accommodation Options/Support
• Used Furniture & Household Goods
• Emergency Funds for Toiletries, Fuel, Medications
• Clothing
• Emotional Support or Counselling

Your pets and animals on your property are important and need to be cared for. Ensure you have somewhere to take them if you can't stay on your property.

As soon as possible after the emergency, contact your insurance company to inform them of loss and/or property damage.

Your insurer can advise you on the actions you should take.

If you can access your home grab important documents and items including:

• passport
• drivers licence
• Medicare card
• credit card details
• bank account details
• medicines and prescriptions, glasses, hearing aids, etc

These will be important to you as you recover from the emergency.

Bass Coast Shire Council 1300 226 278

Insurance Council 1300 728 228

Lifeline 13 11 14

Centrelink 13 28 50

Nurse On Call 1300 66 024

Consumer Affairs (tenancies) 1300 558 181

Ausnet Electricity 1300 360 795

Directory Assistance 1223