If a storm has just hit your home, start here:

• Open the “Your First Hour After Storm Damage” checklist page.
• Follow the calm, step-by-step plan for the first 60 minutes.
• Focus on staying safe, blocking hazards and taking photos for insurance.
• Use the guide instead of scrolling Facebook or random advice.

GeelongSearch is an information and Geelong storm readiness website, not an emergency service.

• It gives plain-English storm damage clean-up guidance.
• It explains who to call and when (000, SES, electricians, insurance).
• It lists local businesses that can help with emergency storm repairs.
• It always points you back to official warnings and authorities.

In any life-threatening situation, call 000 first, then use GeelongSearch to support your planning.

The Geelong Storm Damage Guide area includes:

• Outages & Emergency Alerts – links to power, water and official emergency alerts.
• Local Resources & Numbers – key services and local contact information.
• Your First Hour After Storm Damage – the main first-hour storm damage clean-up plan.
• Storm Damage – Insurance & Evidence Tips – how to photograph and record damage.
• Emergency Storm Repair – Geelong, Surf Coast & Bellarine – overview plus directory links.

Use the Outages & Alerts page when:

• The power is out and you want the official outage map for your area.
• You need state emergency warnings (floods, storms, fires) from official sites.
• You want to quickly check if an issue is local to your street or wider.

Always rely on these official maps and alerts for final decisions.

The Emergency Storm Repair – Geelong, Surf Coast & Bellarine section:

• Explains typical emergency storm repairs (tarping, fences, tree removal).
• Helps you decide when to call SES or 000 versus private tradies.
• Links into the Geelong business directory so you can find help.
• Stays focused on safety first, then damage control, then repairs.

Before moving things or cleaning up storm damage:

• Open the Insurance & Evidence Tips page.
• Follow the photo suggestions (wide shots, close-ups, serial numbers, water lines).
• Record dates, times and any temporary repairs you do.
• Keep people safe first – no climbing damaged roofs for photos.

This helps with clearer insurance claims and avoids missed details.

The Bushfire Readiness – Geelong area gives:

• Plain-language checklists for the hours before a bushfire or grassfire.
• Help thinking through leave early vs. stay decisions.
• Simple steps for getting people, pets and essentials ready.
• Links to bushfire property preparation and bushfire-wise garden information.

It supports, but never replaces, official fire danger ratings and warnings.

The Bushfire Property Preparation guide focuses on the home and yard:

• Cleaning gutters, decks and verandahs of leaf build-up.
• Moving flammable items (wood piles, outdoor furniture) away from the house.
• Checking pumps, hoses and sprinklers if you have them.
• Simple choices that reduce ember attack around your home.

The Bushfire Garden Plants information helps you:

• Understand how different plants behave under ember attack.
• Think about more fire-resilient garden layouts.
• Plan planting around paths, driveways and the house itself.

It’s a starting point only – always check local council and fire authority guidance.

To find a business or tradie for storm damage clean-up or other help:

• Open the Business Directory from the main menu.
• Select a category (e.g. tree removal, roofing, flood restoration).
• Choose a location (Greater Geelong, Melbourne, Victoria-wide).
• Sort results if you need (featured, A–Z, newest, emergency/storm help only).

Results open on the directory page with more detail for each listing.

To add a business to the Geelong business directory:

• Open the Business Directory section.
• Choose “List your business”.
• Fill in contact name, email and business details.
• Select the most accurate category and location.
• Add a short summary and upload a logo if you have one.
• Complete the spam check and submit.

Listings go through a manual review before going live.

If your business is already listed:

• Open the “Claim or update business” option.
• Paste the link to your GeelongSearch listing.
• Provide your name, email and best contact number.
• Explain what needs updating (e.g. phone, address, description).
• Confirm you are authorised to represent the business.

The site will review your request and update the listing, usually within a reasonable time.

New directory submissions are reviewed before approval, but GeelongSearch:

• Does not guarantee quality of work or availability.
• Does not manage bookings or payments for businesses.
• Encourages you to check licences, insurance and reviews yourself.

Always treat the directory as a starting list, not a personal recommendation.

The Geelong Storm Safety newsletter is:

• A short email series about Geelong storm readiness and storm & flood readiness.
• Focused on calm, phone-friendly tips you can read quickly.
• Used to share new guides, checklists and local readiness updates.

You can join or leave at any time – see the newsletter page for details.

The blog includes:

• Articles that go deeper into storm damage clean-up and Geelong storm readiness.
• Stories and examples to make checklists easier to understand.
• Links back to the main guides and Geelong business directory where useful.

It’s extra detail – the main emergency checklists are still the home page and guide pages.

No. GeelongSearch does not replace:

• 000 for life-threatening emergencies.
• SES or other emergency services for rescue or response.
• Official fire, storm and flood warnings.

Always treat the site as supporting information only and follow directions from emergency services first.

Legal and privacy details are in the footer / sitemap:

• Privacy policy – how information is handled.
• Terms of use – conditions for using the website.
• Accessibility statement – how the site aims to stay usable for more people.
• Legal disclaimer – information-only reminder.
• Affiliate disclaimer – where affiliate links may appear.

Always read these if you have questions about how the site is run.

On some pages, GeelongSearch may use affiliate links to products or services.

• If you click and buy, the site may receive a small commission.
• The price you pay should be the same as going directly to the merchant.
• These links help cover the cost of running the storm & flood readiness guides.

See the Affiliate Disclaimer page for the full explanation.

To print or save a checklist:

• Open the relevant guide (e.g. first hour storm damage or bushfire readiness).
• Use your browser’s Print option.
• Choose “Save as PDF” if you want a digital copy.
• Print and keep it where family can see it (fridge, noticeboard, grab-folder).

Most guides are designed to work well on both phone screens and A4 paper.

The site is built for quick navigation:

• Use the top menu for Home, About, Blog and main storm/bushfire guides.
• Use the Resources dropdown for storm damage, outages, insurance and bushfire pages.
• Use the Business Directory menu to find, list or claim businesses.
• Use the footer links for sitemap, privacy, legal pages and contact.

GeelongSearch is mobile-first:

• All main storm & flood readiness guides are phone-friendly.
• Business directory forms work on phones, tablets and desktops.
• Print-ready guides are optimised for common browsers.

If something looks wrong, try refreshing the page or using a modern browser.