The UK government is urging Britons to stock up on essential supplies to last three days, in the face of looming threats that range from “severe weather to cyber attacks”.
Experts say Australians have a fairly adequate level of preparedness for emergencies but could do better, as many report feeling unprepared.
A recent report from the Red Cross found that while 83 per cent of Australians expected to be affected by an emergency in the next five years, 33 per cent said they didn’t feel confident that they knew what to do when disaster strikes.
The survey, published in September this year, also found that 12.5 per cent of people Australia who experienced a disaster in the past year took no steps to prepare, while the most common forms of preparation were passive actions such as thinking about risks (36 per cent) or considering a plan (also 36 per cent).
“When people take time to prepare ahead of an emergency, they’re often better placed to make informed decisions and navigate challenges should they arise. This directly correlates to the recovery process after the emergency as well,” Australian Red Cross director of recovery and resilience Nichola Krey said in a statement.
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham assured the public his government’s “Be Ready” program, which advised British residents to stock up on three days’ worth of supplies, was “just about being prepared and having a sensible amount of supplies in the cupboard”.
The country’s defence secretary Wes Streeting was more emphatic, stating the advice was about preparing for “state-sponsored terrorism” from Russia, warning Britons to prepare for war within 1,000 days.
“In the face of those threats, which are not hypothetical but real … we must ask households and businesses: are they prepared? Are they ready?” he asked.
Emergency planning advice is not unique to the UK, with governments across Europe, as well as in the United States and Asia, prescribing similar action plans.
Australia’s emergency advice ranges from three days’ emergency supply stock to up to two weeks, depending on your location.
While the federal government can declare a state of emergency, there are no national guidelines in place.
READ MORE
University of New South Wales professor of architecture David Sanderson said that compared with Australia, Britain was “just catching up” on emergency preparedness.
“I would suggest Australia is a lot more advanced than the UK on this and has a lot to share with the UK,” he told SBS News.
Sanderson, who leads How We Survive, a research and advocacy initiative aimed at reshaping disaster recovery, said that, “sadly”, Australia’s experience with natural disasters including drought and bushfires meant that it had a “lot of expertise” in disaster management.
“I think our country is actually very good at this. Efforts are made. The updated bushfire systems are much better than they used to be.”
“That said, there’s always a better way, and more messaging with simplicity and clarity would be great.”
How should Australians prepare, and what for?
While the UK is preparing for supply-chain shortages, services disrupted by cyber attacks, and the ongoing impacts from the current El Niño event, Australia’s emergency preparedness advice is largely focused on bushfires, droughts, floods and other weather-related catastrophes.
Australia has had successive national action plans, articulated by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) but specific emergency response management is left largely to the states and territories.
A NEMA spokesperson said that Australia’s risk profile differs from the United Kingdom and other countries, and that “bushfires, floods, tropical cyclones, severe storms, heatwaves and drought affect regions differently, while overlapping disasters place sustained pressure on resources”.
“Nationally consistent preparedness advice must therefore remain relevant to local conditions and the needs of regional, remote and culturally diverse communities.”
READ MORE
Sanderson said Australia’s decentralised approach was a credit, adding that “a lot of the strength lies at the state level”.
While Australia’s emergency response wasn’t “bad”, he said that for a “rich, wealthy country with a good democracy, we should be a lot better at it than we are right now”.
Emergency advice for households differs by state and territory
NSW recommends residents plan for a 14-day stay at home, with a lengthy pantry list that includes recommendations for canned, long-life and bottled food, water, toiletries, cleaning products, pet foods and medications.
The advice, last updated in March 2023, suggests residents should prepare for emergencies including bushfire, flood, influenza pandemic, cyclone, storms, earthquake and utility failure.
Most other states and territories have similar advice though the length of time residents should stockpile for varies.
The NT’s advice includes a section on crocodiles.
A NEMA spokesperson said the body was working with Queensland on a national approach to disaster preparedness that reflects local risks and responsibilities to consistent, practical, year-round messaging tailored to local hazards.
“Preparedness messaging should be clear, practical and proportionate,” the spokesperson said.
“It should help people understand local hazards and take simple steps, such as making an emergency plan, preparing a kit and knowing where to find trusted warnings.”
The spokesperson said that while Australia has well-established emergency management arrangements and world-leading emergency services, preparedness remained “a shared responsibility”.
“While governments undertake year-round activities to prepare, our message to the community is to do the same at the household level. As disasters become more frequent, intense and complex, strong community awareness, practical preparation and coordination remain essential.”
Sanderson said it would be “naïve” to think that preparedness wasn’t also at the household level, adding that individual preparation “had to be a part” of action in Australia.
“Heaven forbid, get your grab bag ready, get your exit plans ready, especially as we’re coming into a very hot period,” he said.
But for people concerned about their supply shelf, Sanderson cautioned against irrational buying.
“When it comes to stockpiling, you don’t need to buy the toilet rolls,” he said.
“Leave the toilet rolls in Coles. Be ready, but don’t be terrified.”
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.