The Mandurah State Emergency Service (SES) is calling on residents to prepare for the upcoming winter storm season, following a year that has already seen extreme flooding in the city. With rough weather becoming increasingly common, the SES is emphasizing the importance of taking proactive steps to protect homes and families.
Simple Steps to Prepare
Mandurah SES Manager Chris Stickland highlighted that there are straightforward measures residents can take around their homes. These include cleaning gutters, securing loose items, and assembling an emergency kit. "We visited nearly 280 homes last year in the region with storm damage," Mr Stickland said. "The biggest issue we find is that people are not prepared prior to a storm coming."
Mr Stickland anticipates a similar number of storms this year, noting that Mandurah typically experiences about five major storms per winter season. "I'd expect that will happen again," he added.
Recent Flooding Highlights Risks
In March, the city recorded over 100mm of rain by 9am, prompting around 60 SES volunteers to respond to collapsed roofs, sandbag homes, and deal with fallen trees. To ease the burden on volunteers, Mr Stickland urged residents whose properties are prone to flooding to visit the Mandurah SES in the coming weeks to pre-prepare sandbags. "We've got sand and sandbags available for those whose property can't cope with excess water," he said.
Emergency Kits and Evacuation Plans
Mr Stickland also stressed the importance of having an emergency kit and a plan. "The big thing to think about is if you have to evacuate the house because it has been badly damaged, where would you go? To friends, family, neighbours?" he asked. "Having those plans in place before a storm event can make a big difference."
For new residents, Mr Stickland advised checking for signs of potential flooding. "Examine underneath the eaves if there's any mould or dark patches, leaking roofs on the inside, any staining on the roof inside, that'll give you an idea," he said. He also recommended talking to neighbours who have lived in the area for a long time, as they can provide valuable insights. "It's always good to know your neighbours because you can support each other when something goes wrong."
Stay Informed with Emergency WA App
Mr Stickland encouraged residents to download the Emergency WA app, which provides official alerts based on their location. "Don't follow all the rogue community pages, the Facebook pages; the Emergency WA app is the best app because wherever you are in the State, if there's a disaster happening where your phone signal is pinging, it will contact you," he said.
Community Information Night
The Mandurah SES is hosting a storm preparedness community information night at its headquarters on May 6 from 7 to 8pm.
Top Tips for Storm Preparedness
- Clean gutters and downpipes of leaves and blockages so they don't overflow after heavy rain.
- Check your roof for cracked ridge capping, loose tiles, or loose screws or nails.
- Remove loose items from around your home and ensure trampolines and other play equipment are sufficiently secured to the ground.
- Trim branches around your home to prevent them falling on roofs or cars. Ensure branches are at least 2.5m away from powerlines and hire a qualified contractor to safely remove branches as necessary.
- If you see a fallen powerline, stay well away and call the Western Power 24/7 emergency line on 13 13 51.
- Prepare an emergency kit including a first aid kit and a car charger for your mobile phone.
- If your home is badly damaged by a storm and you can't fix it yourself, call 132 500 for SES emergency assistance.
