Resilient Hobart
It's important to consider how storms, floods, bushfires and other emergencies could affect you in the future.
Being prepared is the most effective way to reduce their impact.
Don't wait until a disaster occurs to plan how you and your family will stay safe and survive.
How to prepare for different emergencies
You can find information on how to prepare for various emergencies on the below pages.
Bushfires
Floods and storms
Heatwaves and hot weather
Building a Resilient Hobart is about more than emergency preparedness. It's about building sustainable, community-led resilience.
Together, we can create stronger connections and empower neighbourhoods to face their unique challenges with confidence.
We aim to empower locals to become champions for a safer, stronger Hobart.
Explore practical ways to:
Whether it's linking up with neighbours or taking the lead on community initiatives. Together, we can make a big difference when it matters most.
Keep up-to-date with the latest Resilient Hobart news and events by subscribing to our newsletter:
Subscribe to Resilient Hobart
If you have any questions or need more information, please contact us at resilienthobart@hobartcity.com.au.
Get Connected
Saying "hello" to your neighbours and Getting Connected before an emergency makes a big difference when something goes wrong.
If people in your community know each other, it's easier to:
- share important information
- get help quickly
- make sure no one is left out.
Being connected also helps people feel less alone and makes it easier to work together during and after a crisis.
Communications
Information during disasters is very important. TasALERT and ABC work very hard to get info to us as emergencies are occurring.
Sometimes we might not have access to this information or emergency services are not yet aware of the hazard. That is why communication with your neighbours is a critical step in preparing for disasters.
Drop off some neighbour cards
Knocking on someone's door and introducing yourself can be a great way to build connections and support each other in times of need.
Another option is to drop off a Neighbour Card in their letterbox to let them know your name, phone number, address and offer to connect.
The link below will take you to a Neighbour Card (created by Neighbours Everyday). You can print this at home or the library and put in your street's letterboxes to start getting connected!
Download a Neighbour Card
Start a phone tree
A phone tree is a system for connecting a community by telephone. It can be used for spreading a quick message to a large number of people to make them aware of the threat of a fire or emergency.
At its core, it's simply a list of community members' phone numbers.
It is important to include isolated or vulnerable community members to keep everyone updated in case of emergency and inform people of the necessary actions they may need to take.
Here's how you can create a phone tree:
- A phone tree can be organised by a single person or small group of people from your community.
- Identify members of your community who should be included in the phone tree. Include socially and geographically isolated people.
- Make a list with current phone numbers of all the people on the tree.
- From that list, recruit a smaller 'key group' of people who will be responsible for calling the other people on the list. They will form the trunk of your phone tree.
- Divide the people on your list among the members of the key group so that each member is responsible for calling 3 to 8 people.
- Write a brief script for members of your group to use.
- Check in with your key group and check that calls are being made. Update the list regularly and keep people informed of changes.
Learn more
Create a WhatsApp group
Street WhatsApp groups are another way your community can stay in contact.
Following on from the above ways of creating connection, you could invite people to the local WhatsApp group to share information from around the neighbourhood. This could be info about what days the bins go out, when the next community BBQ is or just basic requests for support.
These groups are also very useful for sharing information when emergencies happen. Emergency information you might communicate to the group could include:
- when there is an upcoming extreme or catastrophic fire danger day
- your plans on fire danger days (for example, leaving or staying)
- if you are aware of any fire threats nearby
- if you have been asked by emergency services to evacuate the area
- water or power outages in the area
- offer or request a lift to leave the area on extreme or catastrophic fire danger days.
Please make sure the information comes from a reputable and verified source such as TasALERT, Tasmania Fire Service, SES or ABC.
You can download WhatsApp from your phones app store.
Here is a video to help you create a WhatsApp group:
You can add members to the group by using a link, adding them from your contact list or by using a QR code that they can scan with their phone camera.
Name the group: [Street or Area name] WhatsApp Group
Invite your neighbours to stay connected by joining this new group for information and support!
Connection resources and toolkits
Other organisations have created info containing info and resources to help you get connected to your community.
Neighbours Everyday resources
Aiming to support casual connections through a variety of resources such as games, welcome cards and posters.
Learn more
#ReadyTogether Toolkit
The Australian Red Cross #ReadyTogether Toolkit is a guide to help you and your community get ready for emergencies through social connection.
Download the toolkit
Community groups directory
This is a directory of the various community groups and associations around Hobart. It includes links to their websites or social media.
If you are looking for ways to connect with community or some support for your own initiatives, this is a great way to start!
Get Ready
You're here because Getting Ready matters. If you want to build your skills and knowledge in the emergency preparedness space to keep you, your family and your community safe, explore the resources below.
Included are local Protection Plans, practical workshops and knowledge hubs to take your preparation to the next level. Every step you take today will help make Hobart more resilient to natural hazards.
Training workshops
There are a range of opportunities for training in the emergency preparedness space.
Workshops can teach technical and mental skills to help people to know exactly what to do in a crisis. These workshops are orientated to:
- connect neighbours, community groups and local services
- give you the tools to continue building resilience in your area.
Bushfire Resilience Inc
Webinars with expert knowledge for households in regional and urban fringe areas to reduce bushfire risk.
Learn more
Person-Centered Emergency Preparedness (P-CEP)
The State Emergency Service (SES) provides these workshops designed for people with extra barriers due to disability or other reasons.
Learn more
EmergencyRedi
A community chat workshop created by the Australian Red Cross. The workshops are centred around getting prepared for emergencies.
Learn more
Community Protection Plans
Emergency services in Tasmania have created tailored Community Protection Plans.
These plans contain localised information to help residents prepare for bushfires and floods.
They also empower communities to take an active role in their own safety. They do so by raising awareness and informing the public about emergency response.
Community Bushfire Protection Plans
These plans are provided by the Tasmania Fire Service. They offer information on what to do and where to go when threatened by fire. Contact numbers and maps of the threatened area are also included.
Learn more
Local community flood guides
The State Emergency Service (SES) provide these plans. They provide flood mapping for threatened areas and information about potential impacts.
Learn more
Resilience knowledge hubs
Are you looking to dive deeper, or just getting started with research? We've collected the top resources to help you easily access shared knowledge.
These resources will support you and your community prepare, respond and recover from emergencies.
Bookmark your favourites and share them with your neighbours.
Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge Hub
The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) has developed a comprehensive online hub that brings together a wide range of resources, information, and tools dedicated to disaster resilience.
Learn more
Natural Hazards Research Australia (NHRA) resource library
This resource contains a large collection of usable research and publications to create safer and more resilient communities.
Learn more
National Resilience Action Library
This library is a collection of strategies and resources brought together to help homeowners reduce the impact of hazards on their properties.
Learn more
Get Active
Getting Active is one the most important steps one can take when building resilience in your community. Stepping up and supporting your friends, family and neighbours is a big task but is so important to strengthening our social infrastructure before a disaster strikes.
Whether you're looking for grants to kickstart a community project or interested in volunteering, you'll find links here to help you make a difference. By Getting Active, you're not just preparing for emergencies, you're helping build a stronger, safer Hobart for everyone.
Volunteering
Volunteering is a powerful way to turn your skills into action and make a real difference.
There are plenty of ways put your time towards a variety of causes such as:
- disaster preparedness
- community wellbeing
- bushland care.
City of Hobart programs
We regularly engage volunteers for a variety of activities and events found on this page.
Learn more
Emergency organisations volunteer list
The Tasmanian Government has collected a list of volunteer opportunities at a range of emergency services agencies active all over Hobart.
Learn more
Volunteer Connect
Volunteering Tasmania has created platform that matches volunteers with organizations, making it easy to find volunteer roles or recruit new helpers.
Learn more
Community grants
We provide a variety of grants for community groups and non-profit organisations.
Learn more
Past projects