If your home is likely to need sandbags, think about getting them ahead of time!
In the February floods, there was massive queues at the sandbag depot, and it was a bit of a drive out of South Brissie. While Cr Jonathan Sriranganathan and I will keep pushing Council to arrange another nearby drop-off point for sandbags for emergencies, the Council has been very firm on not doing this – so it's best if you prepare for the worst case scenario again (that our nearest sandbag locations will be Morningside and Newmarket).
You can get sandbags ahead of time at the Council depots – you can find more information here.
Are you in a free standing dwelling? Check your Overflow Relief Gully
If so, it's a good idea to check your sewage Overflow Relief Gully before it floods. An Overflow Relief Gully is a grated outlet located in the ground outside your home, usually near the laundry, which acts as a release valve and helps prevent sewage from flooding your house by directing the overflow outside
Make sure you haven't covered it up a pot plant or anything else, as it's important that this stays clear in case of a blockage or if there's excess rainwater in the sewerage network (if sewage can't release through the outlet, sewage might end up in your bathroom!).
Another thing to check for is it's location in relation to stormwater flows on your property. If your ORG is set too low or your property is in a low-lying area, it can flood and put more stormwater in sewer system (the more stormwater that makes it into the sewers, the more likely they are to overflow in a major flooding event). Urban Utilities has more information here about Overflow Relief Gullies and how they can help if yours is too low.
When a severe weather warning comes through, put your mobile phone and other devices on charge
Fully charge your phone, a powerbank if you have one, or another device you can use to charge your phone if the power goes out like your laptop. It can be hard to predict if your home will lose power: your home might up a hill, but it could be connected to the same grid as homes on lower ground. If the electricity infrastructure in those lower homes gets wet, your home could lose power too.
Don't forget to check your home on the updated BCC Flood Map!
It’s a good idea for everyone to check out their home or business on the Council’s Flood Map fam.brisbane.qld.gov.au
You can see whether your place flooded in the 1974, 2011 and/or 2022 floods. The map also shows flood modelling predictions about what the chances are of your property flooding each year.
It’s worth noting that the map isn’t 100% accurate from February 2022 floods and that there were properties that had some flooding that aren’t shown on the map. If you’ve moved into the area since February, it’s also a good idea to talk to your neighbours and find out whether your street was affected by the floods.
Has your home flooded before or is likely to flood again?
If so, it's best to make an emergency plan now, don't wait until disaster hits. You can find detailed information on how to do this on the Queensland Government website here. If you're unsure, check the BCC Flood Map and ask your neighbours!