Information Sessions

How to Prepare for Flood, Fire, Storms and Heat

Each session focuses on:

• Understanding local risks
• What to expect when disaster strikes
• How to plan for disasters (including animals, property and yourself)
• Understanding warnings and advice
• How to stay informed
• Being psychologically prepared

Sessions are tailored to each community to provide relevant, actionable information.

Benefits of participation include:

• Enhanced risk awareness
• Strengthened leadership and decision-making skills in disaster management
• Expanded community networks and partnerships, increasing resilience before, during, and after emergencies
• Improved self-care and mental health support skills
• Increases knowledge and builds confidence
• Allows people to make informed decisions

Each session is 3 hours long and tailored to your local area.

When a community is well-prepared, it can mitigate the impact of disasters, reduce reliance on external assistance, and foster resilience in the f

Community Impact: Moyston Case Study

In the lead up to the 2024/2025 Grampians fires, as part of a broader Community Resilience Building project with Ararat Rural City Council we facilitated a disaster preparedness session in Moyston to strengthen their disaster preparedness.

Just weeks later, on December 17, lightning ignited multiple fires in the Grampians National Park. The fires raged for 21 days, scorching 135,832 hectares, destroying four homes, and causing significant losses to livestock and fencing.

When we returned to Moyston in February 2025, we asked residents if our session had made a difference. Their responses said it all:

➡️ “I changed my plan because of what I learnt during that session. It made me more prepared for what would really happen.”

➡️ “I found myself in a fire emergency over Christmas. I am so grateful to have been told what it would actually be like, as it gave me the confidence to change our family bushfire plan.”

One resident originally planned to shelter at the local oval—but after our session, they realised the risks and decided that leaving early was the best option.
➡️ “Come Christmas, we had the Grampians fire. We were told to leave now—so I did. I’m so glad that I changed my plan.”

This is the power of real disaster preparedness and we look forward to working with the community to develop a Community Emergency Management Plan for Moyston that will empower the community before, during and after disasters.

Resilience Building in Action