As part of the Strengthening Telecommunications Against Natural Disasters (STAND) package, a public communications program has been developed. The program aims to educate people about the importance of preparing for telecommunications outages in the event of a natural disaster and practical steps to take to prepare.
The Department has been working with emergency service organisations, the telecommunications industry and other interested organisations to develop resources to support this. These resources are available below.
Videos
Tips on how to stay safe and connected during an emergency
To help stay safe, connected and informed during an emergency, there are some easy steps you can follow in case there is an unexpected outage.
Helping you prepare for a telecommunications outage
How would you stay connected if your devices or the internet weren’t available? Watch this video to find out.
Stay safe and informed – pack a radio
No form of telecommunication is 100% resilient to natural disaster. There are steps you can take to stay safe and informed. Watch this video to find out more.
Stay safe and informed – don’t rely on one form of communication
What would you do if you lost phone or internet in a natural disaster? There are things you can do to plan ahead and stay safe and informed. Watch this video to find out what you can do.
You might not get a warning if telecommunications go down
Telecommunications could go down in a natural disaster, and you might not get a warning. If you’re concerned for your safety, prepare and leave early if it is safe to do so. Watch this video to find out more about how you can prepare for a telecommunications outage during a natural disaster.
Stay up to date during a natural disaster
Telecommunications might become unavailable during a natural disaster. You can stay up to date with the latest information if you have a battery powered radio in your emergency kit. Watch this video to find out more.
Tips for staying connected while travelling
How would you stay connected if there’s a natural disaster and telecommunications go down while you are travelling? Watch this video to find out.
Tips for staying connected on holidays
You’re probably not thinking there will be a natural disaster while you’re on holidays – but you should plan ahead just in case. Watch this video for tips.
Case studies
Better safe than sorry: lessons learnt from the Brisbane floods
In the 8 years that Maddison has worked for the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services, she’s never seen anything quite like the February 2022 floods.
Listen to Maddison’s top tips to stay prepared should you lose internet and phone reception during a natural disaster.
Travelling like a local means preparing for the unpredictable
Sean has spent much of his life travelling rural Victorian roads, and has experienced his fair share of emergency situations.
Discover what Sean does to be prepared the next time he travels around Australia.
Plan ahead and lean on your community in an emergency situation
Fiona enjoys living on a farm in West Gippsland, but knows how important it is to be prepared for many situations including fires and floods.
Listen to Fiona’s tips for staying connected during an emergency.
Preparing for an emergency situation: always have a backup plan
Brijal has seen firsthand the turmoil a natural disaster causes to a community.
He knows that telecommunications are not 100% resilient in a natural disaster and he’s put plans in place to his family safe. Listen to Brijal’s story.
Printable resources
- Fact sheet – ‘Temporary facilities during emergencies and natural disasters’
- Information card – ‘How would you stay connected during a natural disaster?’ PDF: 10 MB
Reports and market research
ACMA 2019/2020 Bushfires Report
The Australian Communications and Media Authority’s Impacts of the 2019-20 Bushfires on the Telecommunications Network was published in April 2020. The report outlines what happened to telecommunications networks during and after the 2019-20 Bushfires and how the telcos responded.
More information about the report can be found on the Findings from the 2019-20 bushfire season page.
Market Research - Natural Disasters and Telecommunications
In late 2020, the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications undertook market research on the community's understanding and preparedness for telecommunications outages in natural disasters.
This report outlines the research approach and key findings from market research conducted on the community’s understanding and preparedness for a telecommunications outage during an emergency or natural disaster.
More information about the research can be found on the Market research—natural disasters and telecommunications page.