For Agencies

• Go home, if possible, to avoid travelling in ashy conditions.
• If you or any members of your family have respiratory or heart conditions, keep your reliever and preventer medications handy and use as prescribed. If you have any concerns, call your doctor.
• Move pets indoors.
• Move vehicles and machinery under cover or cover them with a tarpaulin. Disconnect downpipes from roof catchment rainwater tanks to keep ash out.

• Stay indoors.
• Keep ash out of the house by keeping doors and windows shut. Shut down heat pumps and air conditioning units that draw outdoor air into the house.
• If outside, seek shelter (e.g. in a car or building).
• If exposed to ashfall, use a mask or cloth over the nose and mouth to help avoid inhaling ash. If possible, wear glasses instead of contact lenses as ash trapped behind lenses can damage your eyes.
• Do not overload phone networks with non-emergency calls.
• Seek information from official channels and follow any instructions from authorities.

• If there is ash in your water, let it settle and then use the clear water. Water contaminated by ash will usually make drinking water unpalatable before it presents a health risk.
• You may eat vegetables from the garden, but wash them first.