Managing your business in an emergency allows you to prepare for possible risks, take proper actions and recover.

Emergency management is about adapting your business to changes in its environment and being resilient enough to withstand a time of crisis.

There is plenty of advice and support to help you plan for an emergency.

Types of emergencies

Natural disasters such as flood, fire and earthquakes can strike without warning, but there are many other types of emergencies to be aware of.

Drought occurs about every three out of 10 years, while heatwaves kill more Australians than any other type of natural disaster. Flooding is historically the most costly disaster, with average losses estimated at $400 million a year.

Other types of emergencies include:

Natural disasters or emergencies

• weather – drought, heatwaves, bushfires, storms (may include blackouts, hail, lightening and snow storms), cyclones and tornadoes
• geological - earthquake, landslides and volcanoes
• biological - human diseases, pandemics, vermin, insect and animal plagues, exotic animal diseases, foot and mouth disease, anthrax, food crop diseases
• extraterrestrial - asteroids and meteorites.

Unnatural disasters or emergencies

• human caused - major crime, terrorism, error, riots and protests
• technological - transport, mining, hazardous material, explosions, urban fire, bridge collapse, dam failure, nuclear accidents, and space junk impact.

Maintain business during an emergency

Your main aim is to ensure your business continues operating during any emergency. By carefully researching and planning before an emergency, you can act quickly and easily. The pages in this section will help your business stay afloat before, during and after an emergency.

• Take the steps to prepare for an emergency.
• Compile everything you need to develop an emergency action plan.
• Find emergency resources such as the State Emergency Services in your state or territory.
• Learn how to protect your business in an emergency.
• Find out what to do after an emergency.
• Learn how to conduct a business impact assessment with our emergency management checklist.
• Read our top tips for managing emergencies in your business.