5. Recover after a disaster

When an emergency has an impact on you and your community, TasRECOVERY is here to connect you with the support, advice and services you need.

Information includes:

• Health and Wellbeing
• Animal welfare
• Donations and volunteering
• Financial Assistance
• Insurance
• Legal information 

Requiring emotional & psychological support is normal. Everyone will feel different in the days, weeks and months that follow a disaster. It is important to take understand how you and those around you feel and behave in case extra support is needed.

There are lots of resources you can access to understand how to support yourself, your family and the community after a disaster.

Supporting your community | Australian Red Cross

Coping after a crisis | Australian Red Cross

Returning home and coping after a crisis | Australian Red Cross

Resources for parents and caregivers | Australian Red Cross

When and where should I get help? Do not wait until things become too hard or you feel that you are doing it tough before speaking to someone.

Other organisations that may be able to assist include:

Additional support groups:

• Australian Red Cross
• Volunteering Tasmania
• St Vincent de Paul Society
• Launceston City Mission
• Benevolent Society
• RSPCA
• MRC North
• COTA
• RSL
• With open arms
• Rotary Clubs

Mental Health Support

Tasmanian Department of Health resources:

• Access Mental Health Service
• Adult Mental Health Services fact sheet | Tasmanian Department of Health
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services fact sheet | Tasmanian Department of Health
• Older Persons Mental Health Services fact sheet | Tasmanian Department of Health

TasWater

Phone: 13 6992 Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

TasNetworks

Phone: 132 004 - Electrical faults and outages. Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you are deaf or have a hearing impairment, contact via 133 677 - Text Telephone (TTY) users or 1300 555 727 - Speak and listen users.

If you require an interpreter, contact TIS National on 131 450 and ask to be connected to TasNetworks.

At times of declared emergency, there may be available to you a range of financial assistance applicable to your circumstances. Guidelines (translated) will be made available through TasALERT.

Anglicare Financial Counselling Service

Anglicare’s Financial Counselling Service provides free, independent, non-judgemental and confidential financial counselling throughout Tasmania.

Their counsellors are qualified professionals that can help you organise your budget, suggest ways to manage any debt you have and refer you to other useful services. They can also advise on consumer credit law, debt enforcement practices, bankruptcy, industry hardship policies and government concessions. They can provide support and advocacy with creditors and insurance companies.

In times of disaster Financial Counsellors can also assist you apply for Commonwealth grants and other financial assistance.

For more information, or to connect with your local financial counsellor, call the National Helpline on 1800 007 007. You can also visit our website at anglicare-tas.org.au/financial-counselling.

Other assistance may be provided by local community groups and are announced following disaster including:

Tenants and landlords

If you are renting and impacted by a disaster, the Legal Aid fact sheet is here to guide you. 

If you are a landlord and the property you own is impacted by disaster further information can be found on Fact Sheet: Landlord insurance

For business and primary producers

Advice, resources and strategies for recovering your business after a disaster. Business Tasmania has a range of information and resources available to business owners.

Other services which may be able to help your business recover after a disaster:

Disaster recovery | CPA Australia

Recovery services contacts | Business Tasmania

Rural Business Tasmania

Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association

Rural Alive & Well

Disaster Relief Australia - provides disaster response to those affected by natural disasters, be they domestic or international.

By pairing the skills and experiences of military veterans with emergency responders, medical professionals, and technology solutions, Disaster Relief Australia aims to provide the greatest service and impact possible.

BlazeAid - A volunteer-based organisation that works with families and individuals in rural Australia after natural disasters such as fires and floods. Working alongside rural families, our volunteers help to rebuild fences and other structures that have been damaged or destroyed.

AIDR Community Recovery Handbook - The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) develops, maintains and shares knowledge and learning to support a disaster resilient Australia.

National Emergency Management Agency - In the face of devastating fires and floods, the Australian Government combined the efforts of the National Recovery and Resilience Agency and Emergency Management Australia, to create a single, enduring, end-to-end agency to better respond to emergencies, help communities recover, and prepare Australia for future disasters.

Phoenix Australia - Australia’s National Centre of Excellence in Posttraumatic Mental Health.

Resilience & Recovery Tasmania - Outlines Tasmania Recovery arrangements.

Recovery Capitals - Recovery Capitals, or ReCap, supports wellbeing after disasters with evidence-based resources for people and organisations engaged in recovery.

Department of Home Affairs - Coordinates efforts to respond to and recover from disasters and emergencies. Dept. Home Affairs lead the Australian Government disaster and emergency management response and work to build a disaster resilient Australia that prepares and responds to disasters and emergencies.