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Non-accredited short course
Emergency and disaster planning in care services course online
Course overview
Build your understanding of emergency and disaster planning and how to support people safely when normal care arrangements are disrupted.
This course explores local hazards, organisational emergency plans and individual support needs. You will consider how events such as bushfires, floods, heatwaves, power outages and infectious disease outbreaks can affect communication, transport, equipment and essential care.
Through short lessons and realistic workplace scenarios, you will learn about evacuation planning, continuity of critical supports, recovery and reviewing what worked.
Important
The course provides foundational knowledge. It supports workplace emergency training and should be used alongside current organisational plans, individual emergency arrangements and directions from emergency services.
Course objectives
- Identifying Hazards and Support Needs: Recognise local and site-specific hazards, assess factors that increase risk and understand the purpose of a hazard register.
- Service-Level Planning and Continuity: Explore emergency roles, communication arrangements, evacuation procedures, resources and alternative ways to maintain critical supports.
- Individual Emergency Planning: Understand Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEPs), including mobility, communication, medication, equipment and transport needs.
- Recovery and Continuous Improvement: Consider welfare checks, restoration of supports, emotional wellbeing, debriefing and updating plans after an event or exercise.
Throughout the course, the focus remains on involving the person, respecting their preferences and preparing arrangements that can work in practice.
What does the Emergency and Disaster Planning Course Pack Include?
Practical resources you can keep and use whenever needed.
Reference Guide
Revisit planning principles, individual support considerations, continuity strategies and recovery reminders.
Workbook
Reinforce your learning through practical, non-graded activities, planning exercises and workplace scenarios.
Workplace Checklist
Check important preparation steps, including emergency contacts, plan access, resources, communication and essential support arrangements.
Who this course is for
- Disability support workers
- Aged care and personal care workers
- Home and community care workers
- Workers in supported independent living settings
- Team leaders, supervisors and service coordinators
- Managers contributing to emergency preparedness and continuity planning
- New workers preparing for workplace emergency training
Course outcomes
What you will be better prepared to do
1
Identify hazards that could disrupt care services
2
Recognise how individual needs and environmental barriers affect emergency arrangements
3
Explain the relationship between service-level and individual emergency plans
4
Identify the information required in a PEEP
5
Consider accessible communication, transport and safe destinations
6
Recognise supports that cannot be interrupted without serious risk
7
Understand the need for backup arrangements for essential equipment and supplies
8
Involve people and their chosen support networks in planning
9
Follow assigned roles, reporting pathways and emergency instructions
10
Contribute to recovery, debriefing and plan improvement
On the job
How the learning connects with everyday work
Scenario 1
Power outage with medical equipment
A power outage affects someone who uses powered medical equipment.
Recognise the importance of an established backup arrangement and prompt escalation through the individual emergency plan.
Scenario 2
Flooding blocks access to the home
Flooding prevents workers from reaching a person’s home.
Understand how continuity arrangements help maintain essential support through safe, agreed alternatives.
Scenario 3
Assisting with evacuation
A person needs assistance to evacuate.
Check their PEEP for required staff, equipment, communication, transport and destination arrangements.
Scenario 4
Inaccessible emergency announcements
A person cannot access spoken emergency announcements.
Recognise the need for communication in their preferred accessible format.
Scenario 5
Distress during an evacuation drill
A person becomes distressed by an evacuation drill.
Consider sensory needs, familiar support and consultation when reviewing their plan.
Scenario 6
An outdated contact list
A contact list is out of date during an exercise.
Report the gap and help ensure the information is corrected and tested.
Scenario 7
Services resuming after an emergency
Regular services resume after an emergency.
Recognise that equipment replacement, wellbeing checks and other recovery needs may continue.
Six simple steps
How the course works
1
Enrol online
Register and access your course.
2
Start when it suits you
Begin anytime and work through the learning at your own pace.
3
Explore the lessons
Learn about hazards, emergency plans, individual needs and recovery.
4
Use your Course Pack
Download the Reference Guide, Workbook and Workplace Checklist.
5
Apply your understanding
Work through planning activities and realistic care scenarios.
6
Complete the course requirements
Finish the required learning and assessments to receive your Certificate of Completion.
How your learning is checked
- Hazard identification and risk awareness
- Service-level emergency arrangements
- Continuity of critical supports
- Individual evacuation planning
- Consultation and accessible communication
- Recovery, reporting and plan review
Workbook activities are non-graded and provide opportunities to practise applying your understanding. Online learning checks assess knowledge. They do not replace workplace drills, practical evacuation training, first aid qualifications or training in emergency equipment.
What you will receive
After successfully meeting the course requirements, learners will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Get My Course Emergency and Disaster Planning in Care Services short course. You will also have the downloadable Course Pack for ongoing reference and learning.
Certificate of Completion
Awarded once you meet all course requirements.
This is non-accredited training. The Certificate of Completion is not a nationally recognised qualification or Statement of Attainment. It does not appoint you as an emergency warden or establish practical competence in rescue, evacuation or emergency response procedures.
Why Emergency and Disaster Planning Matters in Care Work
Emergencies can interrupt the routines, equipment and services people depend on. A blocked road, loss of power or disrupted roster may affect access to medication, personal care, communication or essential health support.
Planning ahead helps teams identify these dependencies and agree on realistic alternatives. Individual plans also help ensure that communication, mobility, cultural preferences and support needs are considered before an emergency occurs.
Testing and reviewing plans reveals gaps while there is time to address them. Recovery planning then helps services restore support and respond to the longer-lasting effects on people and workers.
Frequently asked questions
What types of emergencies does the course cover?
The course considers bushfires, floods, severe storms, cyclones, heatwaves, power outages and infectious disease outbreaks. It also introduces site-specific disruptions such as building fires and loss of water or telecommunications.
What is a PEEP?
PEEP stands for Personal Emergency Evacuation Plan. It documents the assistance, communication, equipment and arrangements a particular person needs to evacuate safely.
What is business continuity in a care service?
Business continuity means planning how essential supports will continue when normal arrangements are disrupted. Alternative arrangements must remain suitable for the person’s needs; a phone call cannot replace care that requires someone to be physically present.
Is this course nationally accredited?
No. This is a non-accredited Professional Development Short Course. Successful learners receive a Certificate of Completion, not a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment.
How is the course delivered?
The course is delivered online, with downloadable resources to support your learning.
When can I start?
You can start anytime. Enrol online and begin learning when it suits you.
Should people receiving support be involved in emergency planning?
Yes. Planning should involve the person and, where appropriate and with their consent, their support network. Their knowledge, preferences and communication needs help make arrangements practical and accessible.
Does the course teach me to decide whether to evacuate or shelter in place?
It introduces these planning options and the importance of clear triggers and responsibilities. During an event, follow current official directions, your organisation’s procedures and your assigned role.
Does completing this course replace evacuation drills?
No. Drills and practical training help workers test arrangements and practise their responsibilities. Online learning supports that preparation.
How often should emergency plans be reviewed?
Follow the organisation’s review schedule and applicable requirements. Plans should also be reviewed when needs, staffing, equipment or local risks change, and after exercises or emergencies reveal gaps.
Does the course cover recovery and wellbeing?
Yes. It explores immediate welfare needs, restoring services, replacing essential resources and connecting people and workers with appropriate ongoing support.
Are the workbook activities graded?
No. Workbook activities reinforce learning. Required course assessments will be identified separately.
Can I keep the course resources?
Yes. Download the Reference Guide, Workbook and Workplace Checklist for future reference. Always use them alongside current plans and official emergency information.
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