Bushfire Warnings

Current bushfires and warnings are available on the Queensland Fire Department website, via the red Bushfires and Warnings button in the top right corner. If you receive a bushfire warning about a bushfire or other emergency, take notice as it could save your life. An Emergency Warning means there is a threat to lives, and action is required immediately. There are three warning levels:

1. Bushfire Advice – General advice information to keep you up to date. There is no immediate danger, but you need to stay informed in case the situation changes.
2. Bushfire Watch and Act – There is a heightened level of threat and conditions are changing. Act now to protect yourself and your family.
3. Bushfire Emergency Warning – You’re in danger and need to take life-saving action immediately. This is the highest level message and it may be accompanied with the Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS).

For more information about bushfire preparedness and what to do during a bushfire, visit the Queensland Fire Department website. You can also create your Bushfire Survival Plan https://bushfire-survival-plan.qfes.qld.gov.au/

Severe Weather Updates and Tsunami Warnings

To find out about the latest weather updates and to tune into warnings:

1. Listen to local radio – ABC 612 AM and Bay FM 100.3
2. Weather and warning updates: Bureau of Meteorology or download the BOM Weather App to receive push warning notifications
3. Opt-in to councils emergency messaging service Redlands Coast Alerts
4. Follow rolling updates on the Redland City Council news site
5. Follow updates from Redland City Council’s social media Twitter and Facebook

Community Alert

Council now has an opt-in emergency messaging service, Redlands Coast Alerts, where residents can subscribe to receive community alerts, weather alerts and flooded road notifications at four key locations. A Community Alert will not replicate the Emergency Alert; which is a Text and/or Voice message sent by the State Government irrespective of a user’s subscription, sent to all landlines and mobile phones that are switched on and have service coverage. The Community Alert is generally issued to the areas where the significant impact is occurring or anticipated to occur; thus it is important you enter the correct residential address to ensure you receive a Community Alert for your area.

A Community Alert will be issued from Redland City Council LDMG for significant impacts to the community such as:

• Essential information when preparing, responding or recovering from an event
  i.e. evacuation information, recovery/community hub information etc.
• Anticipated serious disruption due to an event
  i.e. health related or weather related; toxic smoke hazard, explosion or fire etc.
• Essential services or Infrastructure impacted
  i.e. water shutdown, boil water notice, island transport services ceasing due to weather, gas leak etc.

To find out more and how to opt-in visit the Redlands Coast Alerts page.

Your details are securely held and will not be shared for other purposes. This notification service is designed to complement, not replace, other emergency notification systems such as those offered by BoM, Queensland Government and Queensland Fire Department (QFD).

Emergency Alert

The national telephone warning system that:

1. Sends voice messages to landline telephones based on the location of the handset; and
2. Sends text messages to mobile phones within a specific area defined by the emergency service organisation issuing the warning message.

The system provides emergency service organisations with another way to warn communities in the event of an emergency. It is important that communities do not rely on receiving a message; individuals and communities must still prepare themselves in case of an emergency. Parents who provide their children with mobile phones will need to explain to their child what to do if they receive a message. If a child receives a telephone warning when they are at school, the child must follow the emergency management arrangements currently in place at their school. Telephone based emergency warnings do not replace existing workplace emergency arrangements. Individuals must follow current emergency management arrangements in place at their workplace. For more information on Emergency Alerts, visit www.emergencyalert.gov.au/. Emergency Alerts that have been issued in Queensland can be accessed here: https://www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings

Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS)

When disasters loom or a major emergency happens, Queenslanders will be alerted by the sound of the Standard Emergency Warning Signal (SEWS). SEWS is a distinctive audio signal that alerts the community to the broadcast of an urgent safety message relating to a major emergency, such as cyclones, flooding and severe storms. When you hear the signal on radio or television, pay careful attention to the message that follows and act immediately on the advice given.