How travellers can prepare for emergencies or natural disasters

When you’re on holiday, you’re probably not thinking about what will happen in a natural disaster or emergency. But if telecommunications go down, what will you do?

During an emergency or natural disaster, telecommunications services such as your mobile phone, landline and internet are crucial to help you stay connected and informed. However, no network technology is 100 per cent resilient.

If you’re travelling in Australia, plan ahead and learn about the risks.

There are steps you can take to be prepared:

  • Think about how you would communicate if your mobile, landline and internet service were not available.
  • Pack a portable battery powered AM radio and a spare set of batteries.
  • Keep your mobile charged and have a backup power source, like a battery pack.
  • Have some cash on hand, as EFTPOS or ATMs may not work if there is a natural disaster.
  • Check local weather forecasts and adjust your travel if bad weather is predicted.
  • Share your travel plans. Let family and friends know where you’re going and take a paper copy of their contact details.
  • Familiarise yourself with the area. When you reach your destination, find out where the evacuation meeting points are and make a note of the local radio station and their frequencies.
  • For remote travel, consider taking a personal locator beacon, UHF radio or satellite phone.

Find out more