Household Preparedness for Emergencies: NSW, Vic, Qld and ACT

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    NAME OF ORGANISATION
    Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

    OVERVIEW

    Household Preparedness for Emergencies: NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT, Oct 2007
    (cat. no. 4818.0.55.001)

    This publication summarises results from the Household Preparedness for
    Emergencies survey, conducted during October 2007 throughout New South Wales
    (NSW), Victoria (Vic.), Queensland (Qld) and Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The
    survey collected a range of information about households preparedness for and
    experiences of emergencies. This included the presence of safety precautions such
    as installing smoke alarms, easily accessible emergency phone numbers and having
    an emergency plan. Where households had experienced a recent emergency (in the
    last 2 years) information on how the household responded during the emergency and
    whether any changes were made to ensure better preparedness in the future.

    PURPOSE

    Each year in October the ABS as part of the monthly household survey program
    conducts individual State specific surveys. Household Preparedness for Emergencies
    was the October 2007 State Supplementary Survey topic for NSW. However,
    because this topic was of interest to other States and Territory governments, the
    survey was enumerated in NSW, Vic., Qld and the ACT.

    The data is for use primarily by fire, rural fire, State Emergency Services and other
    government departments to assist in policy formulation and review, as well as by
    private sector analysts.

    SCOPE

    The Household Preparedness for Emergencies survey was conducted as a supplement
    to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Monthly Population Survey (MPS). The
    MPS is based on a multistage area sample of private dwellings (houses, flats, etc)
    and a list sample of non-private dwellings (hotels, motels, etc). Information was
    collected by either a face-to-face or telephone interview from one responsible adult
    per household. Respondents answered questions on behalf of all household
    members. The surveys were conducted using seven-eighths of the full sample of
    private dwellings in NSW, Vic., Qld and the ACT that were included in the MPS. The
    following types of persons were excluded:

    • members of the permanent defence forces;
    • certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from censuses and surveys;
    • overseas residents in Australia;
    • members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependents) stationed in Australia;
    • private dwellings containing visitors only;
    • visitors to the household; and
    • residents of non-private dwellings such as hospitals, hotels, motels and prisons.



    DATA DETAIL

    Conceptual framework

    Data included within the publication includes:

    Demographic Characteristics
     

    • Geographic location (State - Capital city/Balance of state except for the ACT)
    • Household type
    • Dwelling structure
    • Tenure type
      
    Emergency Precautions
    • Whether household has an emergency plan(s)
    • Whether any of the emergency plan(s) are written down
    • Whether household rehearsed any of the emergency plan(s) in the last 12 months
    • Whether anyone in household would need help evacuating in an emergency
    • Whether home contains a portable first aid kit
    • Whether anyone in household has a first aid qualification (obtained or renewed in the last 3 years)
    • Whether emergency phone numbers are located for ease of use
    • Location of emergency phone numbers
    • Whether anyone in household currently volunteers for any emergency, safety or rescue organisations
     
    Safety Measures
    • Whether the home has smoke alarms/detectors installed
    • Whether any of the smoke alarms/detectors were manually tested in the last 12 months
    • Whether the home has any fire blanket(s)
    • Whether the home has any fire extinguishers
    • Whether the home has any electrical safety switches or circuit breakers
    • Whether roof gutters around the home cleared of debris in the last 12 months
      
    Emergency perceptions and experiences
     
    • Whether respondent considers their home to be in an area subject to bushfires
    • Whether respondent considers that their home could be affected by flooding from a nearby natural water course
    • Whether household has experienced an emergency at the current address in the last 2 years
    • Type of most recent non-medical emergency
    • Whether emergency service(s) contacted in most recent emergency
    • Type of emergency service(s) contacted
    • Whether any action taken to be better prepared in event of similar emergency
     

    Main outputs

    Household Preparedness for Emergencies: NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT, Oct 2007
    (cat. no. 4818.0.55.001)

    Publication tables:

    Table 1a Presence of selected safety precautions, by area of usual residence: Household estimates
    Table 1b Presence of selected safety precautions, by area of usual residence: Relative Standard Error
    Table 2a Presence of selected safety precautions, by household type: Household estimates
    Table 2b Presence of selected safety precautions, by household type: Relative Standard Error
    Table 3 Presence of selected safety precautions, by tenure type: Household estimates
    Table 3b Presence of selected safety precautions, by tenure type: Relative Standard Error
    Table 4 Presence of selected safety precautions, by dwelling structure: Household estimates
    Table 4b Presence of selected safety precautions, by dwelling structure: Relative Standard Error
    Table 5 Location where emergency phone numbers are kept, by household type: Household estimates
    Table 5b Location where emergency phone numbers are kept, by household type: Relative Standard Error
    Table 6 Emergency plan, by whether household has a perceived risk of bushfire: Household estimates
    Table 6b Emergency plan, by whether household has a perceived risk of bushfire: Relative Standard Error
    Table 7 Emergency plan, by whether household has a perceived risk of flooding: Household estimates
    Table 7b Emergency plan, by whether household has a perceived risk of flooding: Relative Standard Error
    Table 8 Emergency plan, by difficulty in evacuating in an emergency: Household estimates
    Table 8b Emergency plan, by difficulty in evacuating in an emergency: Relative Standard Error
    Table 9 Emergency plan, by presence of volunteer(s) in household: Household estimates
    Table 9b Emergency plan, by presence of volunteer(s) in household: Relative Standard Error
    Table 10 Most recent emergency in the last 2 years, by type of emergency and area of usual residence: Household estimates
    Table 10b Most recent emergency in the last 2 years, by type of emergency and area of usual residence: Relative Standard Error
    Table 11 Most recent emergency, by type of emergency and whether emergency services contacted: Household estimates
    Table 11b Most recent emergency, by type of emergency and whether emergency services contacted: Relative Standard Error
    Table 12 Type of emergency service(s) contacted for most recent emergency, by area of usual residence: Household estimates
    Table 12b Type of emergency service(s) contacted for most recent emergency, by area of usual residence: Relative Standard Error
    Table 13 Type of most recent emergency, by whether changes made as a result: Household estimates
    Table 13b Type of most recent emergency, by whether changes made as a result: Relative Standard Error

    Classifications

    Relevant ABS, National and/or International classifications and standards will be
    used. Where these are not available, the survey will aim for consistency with
    other ABS surveys.

    Other concepts (summary)

    Not applicable.

    GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
    New South Wales
    Victoria
    Queensland
    ACT
    Statistical Division
    Labour Force Region

    Comments and/or Other Regions

    Labour Force Survey Demographics:

    State or territory of usual residence contains:

    NEW SOUTH WALES
    VICTORIA
    QUEENSLAND
    AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

    Area of usual residence contains:

    Sydney
    Balance of New South Wales
    Melbourne
    Balance of Victoria
    Brisbane
    Balance of Queensland
    Australian Capital Territory

    COLLECTION FREQUENCY
    Once Only

    Frequency comments

    Household Preparedness for Emergencies, NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT is an irregular
    survey and there are currently no plans to release another publication in the future.


    COLLECTION HISTORY

    State supplementary survey topics vary each year. The Household Preparedness for
    Emergencies, NSW, Vic., Qld and ACT survey is an irregular survey. A separate
    survey on a similar topic was conducted by WA in 2007 (Community Preparedness
    for Emergencies, WA, Oct 2007, cat. no. 4818.5) and in NSW in 2003 (Community
    Preparedness for Emergencies, New South Wales, October 2003, cat. no. 4818.1).

    DATA AVAILABILITY
    Yes

    Data availability comments


    Data is in the publication Household Preparedness for Emergencies: NSW, Vic.,
    Qld and ACT, October 2007 (ABS Cat. No. 4818.0.55.001). This is available for
    free on the ABS website www.abs.gov.au in an Excel Data Cube format. Additional
    data will be available on request as a chargeable service please refer to the Appendix
    for further details.

    For further information contact the National Information and Referral Service on
    1300 135 070 or email client.services@abs.gov.au.



    DATE OF LAST UPDATE FOR THIS DOCUMENT
    03/06/2008 03:02 PM