After major emergencies, the community, agencies and councils come together to support each other to recover. For some the recovery process may be short, for others, including your family members, it may be months or years. Everyone is different.
There are many things that you may find you have to do to get back on your feet.
In Greater Dandenong most emergencies are smaller house fires and isolated flooding events. Here are some general recovery steps to consider for these types of incidents:
1. Ensure you, your family, neighbours and animals remain safe.
If you are in a life-threatening or time critical situation, call Triple Zero call 000.
If you or a family member require medical care, you can call Nurse-on-Call on:
1300 60 60 24 (24-hour advice available) or call your local doctor to book an appointment.
2. For mor information you can visit:
Trauma - reaction and recovery - Better Health Channel
Emergency Recovery Victoria
Contact your insurance company as soon as possible after the incident.
This includes renters who should have their own contents insurance and contact their real estate agent or landlord.
3. If you have been advised it is safe to enter your home - take photos of the damage and detailed records of your items.
If you don’t have your important documents and items on you, this would also be a good time to collect them - this should include medication and prescriptions that you may need.
4. Contact family and friends and keep them updated.
Family and friends can provide a strong support network after an emergency, they may be able to offer you a place to stay until you have found a more permanent place to live.
If your home is impacted by a house fire, flood or storm damage that has rendered it uninhabitable, emergency relief assistance may be available. Council can assist with providing advice and referral to services - contact us on 8571 1000.
It is normal to experience a range of strong emotional, physical and behavioural reactions after an emergency. If you have concerns - speak to you Doctor or use one of the following counselling services:
You may need some extra support after an emergency. These organisations may be able to provide a range of supports for eligible Greater Dandenong residents:
- South East Community Links Emergency Relief Service
- WAYYS Housing Support WAYSS| Homelessness & Domestic Violence Support in South-East Melbourne
- Salvation Army 13 SALVOS (13 72 58)
- Australian Red Cross Emergencies and disasters
- Victorian Council of Churches Emergencies Ministry is an organisation specialising in disaster response in Victoria: Chaplaincy & Disaster Care Victoria
- Ask Izzy connects people in need with housing, a meal, money help, family violence support, counselling and much more. It is free and anonymous, with thousands of local services listed across Australia.
- Department of Family Fairness and Housing (DFFH) Financial assistance information.
- Services Australia - Crisis Payment for other extreme circumstances.
- Australian Taxation Office information on assistance available after emergencies
For further information about recovering from emergencies - please visit: