The Storm and Flood Ready (SAFR) program supports community level flood and storm resilience by delivering plans that assist communities and response organisations to:

• act cohesively
• make informed decisions
• prepare for, respond to, and recover from floods.

The SAFR Program commenced in late 2021 and aims to deliver:

1. Community flood guides for the general public that identify areas prone to flooding, warning arrangements, safe escape routes, and information on what to do before, during, and after a flood
2. Flood community protection response plans for agencies with flood and storm response roles that identify priority emergency response actions to be taken in the event of a flood. These plans are closely aligned with the TFS Bushfire community protection response plans. 
3. Catchment level plans for agencies with flood and storm response roles that provide guidance on flood response action across a catchment in the event of a flood.

The program also includes community engagement to support community resilience for storm and flood events, and partners with others to better support sectors of the community with specific or additional needs. Invite someone from SES to talk to your community group about storm and flood readiness – email ses@ses.tas.gov.au.

• Local community protection planning
• Be ready for storms and floods – visual guide
• Get Ready for Emergencies – A guide for individuals and households to prepare for emergencies. This replaces the SES Home emergency plan.
• Primary Industry Flood Readiness Toolkit
• Business Tasmania resources on risk management,  emergency preparedness and recovery
• People with Disability Emergency Preparedness Project

Background and context

The SAFR program addresses recommendations from The Report of the Independent Review into the Tasmanian Floods of June and July 2016 on the need for community planning and resilience to reduce risks associated with flooding. The program also helps to implement the Tasmanian Disaster Resilience Strategy 2020-2025 and address some risks identified in the Tasmanian Disaster Risk Assessment (TASDRA) 2022.

The program initially focuses on riverine flooding in high-risk communities. Information from the Tasmanian flood mapping project and local knowledge informs plan development. Where possible the program supports an ‘all-hazards’ approach to community disaster resilience and works alongside Tasmania Fire Service’s Bushfire Ready Neighbourhoods program.