Australia could experience severe weather at any time. But bushfires, heatwaves, flooding and tropical cyclones are more likely between October and April. We call this period the higher risk weather season (HRWS). Before each HRWS, we work with Australians through the national Preparedness Program, so they understand their risk.

National Preparedness Summit

Each year we run a National Preparedness Summit. The Summit brings together response and recovery leaders, and crisis management experts. Participants receive an overview of the seasonal climate outlook and explore best practice and emerging themes for response and early recovery.  They also take part in the National Preparedness Exercise where attendees test the ability to respond effectively to real-world crisis events.  The exercise stress-tests plans and arrangements.  

Key leadership engagement

We meet with response and recovery leaders around Australia. This supports national planning and preparedness and strengthens relationships. This helps us understand how we can help when Australians experience severe weather.  

National Preparedness Briefing Program

We work with the Bureau of Meteorology to tell people about the risks each year. We brief decision makers like Members of Parliament and government departments. We brief decision makers like Members of Parliament and government departments. We also brief the media who can share our message. To help them prepare, we work with industry and organisations which may include the following sectors: 

• Australian Parliament
• media
• aged care
• disability
• telecommunications
• Australian Government agencies
• local governments
• food and grocery, transport and supply chain
• water
• not-for-profit
• health  
• energy  
• education
• tourism.