National Manager Emergency Services Andrew Coghlan said the resources, to be launched this Thursday, were developed to acknowledge the added impact that emergencies can have on some members of the community.

Emergencies by their very nature leave people vulnerable be it in the early relief stages or into the longer term, Mr Coghlan said.

But for many in our communities, the impact of an emergency can be particularly severe.

Our priority is to ensure that people more vulnerable to the impacts of emergencies, as well as their families and carers, have access to appropriate information and materials to assist them prepare their households for an emergency.

Mr Coghlan said the two guides had been developed in consultation with disability peak bodies, service providers, advocacy groups and consumers.

Emergency REDiPlan: Household preparedness for people with a disability and Emergency REDiPlan: Easy English (developed with assistance from Scope Victoria) both contain an assessment tool for individuals and/or carers, and a household plan for completion.

The guides also emphasise the importance of setting up support networks, in line with the fourth step in the REDiPlan process; know your neighbours.

This is a crucial time of year for people to be talking about and actively preparing their homes and families for an emergency, Mr Coghlan said.

With summer upon us and the increase we are seeing in the occurance of fires, storms, floods and heatwaves, now is the time to be ensuring that you and your family know what to do during an emergency.

While everyones needs are different, the importance of being prepared for an emergency remains the same it can save lives when an emergency occurs, he said.

Which is why it is so important that every member of the community has access to information that can help them prepare.

The guides are part of the organisations wider Emergency REDiPlan household preparedness project and follow four simple steps to assist households prepare for an emergency.

Other guides in the range include information and practical activities for households, children and seniors.

Audio files covering Red Cross preparedness and recovery materials and large text print formats are also available to assist people with a vision impairment.

Emergency REDiPlan materials are not hazard-specific and can be used by households to prepare for all types and scales of emergencies.

The REDiPlan project is designed to complement the work of agencies with a hazard-based focus in their preparedness activities and offers the scope for some strong partnerships in support of more vulnerable communities.

Red Cross Emergency REDiPlan guides are free for individual households and are available on www.redcross.org.au, by phoning Red Cross in your state or territory or by emailing rediplan@redcross.org.au.

Media enquiries: For more information or to arrange an interview, please call Jacqui Pringle on 0448 571 484.