Emergency Information

Knowing what to do in an emergency situation could save your life, or the life of a friend, family member, pet, or neighbour. It's important to understand what hazards the SES can help you with, and what to do in the event of an emergency.

Preparing for Emergencies

Being prepared for emergencies is the first step in ensuring you and your loved ones can navigate the challenges of unexpected disasters. This section provides detailed information on how to prepare for various emergencies that could occur in Western Australia.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has a range of resources available to help you prepare for emergencies. You can find information on how to prepare for bushfires, storms, floods, cyclones, and other emergencies on the DFES website. Here are some quick links to resources than can help you prepare for the most common emergencies:

Bushfire

Create your bushfire plan and keep your household safe.

Structure Fire

It can take just seconds for a fire to take hold. Most home fires are preventable.

Cyclone

Summertime is tropical cyclone season in our North West.

Storm

Storms can have a devastating impact on your property and family.

Flood

Floods are the second highest cause of death from natural hazards in Australia.

Tsunami

Consequences include dangerous coastal flooding, rips and currents, and more.

Earthquake

Earthquakes can strike suddently and are powerful enough to cause serious damage.

Hazmat

Hazardous materials can be fatal, and containing them materials is a complex task.

SES personnel preparing for a vertical rescue. A large rescue frame is positioned near a cliff edge with ropes attached. SES personnel in protective equipment and uniforms have equipped climbing equipment.

When to Call the SES

Public demand for SES attendance during severe weather and major disasters is massive. A significant number of emergency calls are received by the SES during these events, and this means that jobs need to be prioritied. We will always respond to calls for assistance where there is a threat to life or property.

You can call the SES on 132 500 for attendance. We may be able to assist with the following emergencies:

Always dial 000 to report a fire or life-threatening emergency.

Major Storm Damage

Emergency Repairs

Rescue Trapped People

Emergency Relocation

Prevent Flooding of Buildings

Major Road Crashes

Hazardous Materials

Marine Search and Rescue

Trees Fallen on Houses and Cars

Collapsed and Leaking Ceilings

Calling the SES

Every year, we receive tens of thousands of calls for service. Emergencies can be stressful, and it's important to know when to call the SES for help, and what to expect when you call. Here are a few tips for calling to help us help you:

Talk slow, clear, and loud: The better we can hear you, the better we can help you. Emergencies can be scary, but try to talk slowly, calmly, and clearly.
Know where you are: Give us as much detail as possible about where you are. We need to know exactly where to come to get help to you as quickly as possible.
You might need to wait: During major emergencies, there can be an extremely high level of demand. Please be patient and be prepared to wait before getting through to someone. We will attend emergencies in order of priority, so less urgent calls may take us time to get to.
Have a backup plan: Emergencies such as bushfires and storms can impact communications infrastructure. Your mobile phone may not work. Keep a battery-powered radio and UHF radio in the house, just in case.

It's important to understand that, even though we are here to help, disasters typically effect many people at once, and we can't always get to you immediately. When you call us, a few things will happen:

Emergency Assistance Officer answers your call
Your call will be answered by the DFES Emergency Communications Centre (COMCEN). We will collect some information from you such as the nature and location of the emergency, information about injuries and damage, and contact details in case we need to reach you.
Job Created and Crew Allocated
Once we have all the information we need, a RFA (Request for Assistance) will be created in our IMS and an SES crew will be allocated to the job. Jobs are allocated in order of priority and are serviced by our 2,000+ personnel around the state.
Crews Dispatched
When one or more crews are available, they will be dispatched to your location. At this stage, SES personnel are on the way to you. High priority jobs will be attended first. The responding crew may contact you on your mobile phone if they're having trouble locating you.
Remediation Works are Carried Out
Once on scene, our crews will secure the scene, assess damage and injuries, and address the emergency. Depending on the type of emergency, this may take some time and may involve other personnel such as Police, Paramedics, and Fire Fighters.
Job Cleared
By this point, we have made the scene as safe as the circumstances will permit. You may not be allowed back inside unsafe areas or structures, but we will provide guidance and further information on scene as appropriate. When everything is complete, we will close out the job in our system and the crew(s) will continue to the next job.