In a life threatening emergency dial Triple Zero (000)
Storm and Flood Assistance
The ACT Emergency Services Agency uses a range of tools to communicate with the community during an emergency such as:
- ESA Website
- ESA Social media channels including Facebook and Twitter
- NSW Fires Near Me mobile app
- Emergency alert land line and SMS telephone system
- Local media outlets
- Access Canberra 13 22 81
At approximately 4:40pm today people in the areas of Tharwa, Smiths Road and the Orroral Valley region were identified to receive an emergency text and land line alert this afternoon.
We have received a number of questions from the community concerned as to why they may or may not have received an emergency text or land line alert.
If you are outside of the areas of Tharwa, Smiths Road and the Orroral Valley but have received the alert, it may be because you have driven through these areas in the hour previous to the issue of the alert, irrespective of your current location. This is due to your mobile phone registering on cellular towers in the area of the alert.
The emergency alert text and phone call system is a national service provided by Telstra and it is just one tool used by the ESA to communicate with an area that may be at risk of being impacted by bushfire.
You can find out more about emergency alert here: www.emergencyalert.gov.au/
