During the west season, the SES are responsible for assisting locals who have trouble with rising flood waters and leaking roofs.

Mount Isa SES Area Controller, Gordan Graham, said they want to help locals prevent these issues from occurring.

“During the wet season we get a lot of reports of roofs leaking and a lot of times it comes down to lack of maintenance,” Mr Graham said

“With gutters not being emptied it is easy for roofs to start leaking. We stress to locals that the time is now, to get up and clean your gutters before it becomes a bigger issue.”

Coming up to Christmas locals will plan to leave town, but driving in the wet season also poses dangers.

“Before people travel they should check the weather forecast and conditions, if they do not feel comfortable driving in those conditions they should postpone their trip,” Mr Graham said.

“Drivers should also check Department of Transport or the Main Roads application to check for any road closures due to floodwaters. The motto is ‘If it’s flooded, forget it’ as you never know what has happened underneath the water.”

A SES Get Ready Guide is also available for home owners to prepare themselves in case of a flood or storm emergency. The guide is four easy steps.

Step one: Prepare your household emergency plan, should consist of potential risks and impacts,who to contact in an emergency and actions to take during a storm or flood.

Step two: Prepare emergency kit and evacuation kit, can save you time and stress in the event of a flood or storm. A checklist can be found here: www.stormsafe.com.au/ 

Step three: Prepare your home, checking roof, gutters, down-pipes, overhanging branches and loose items around the house.

Step four: Tune into warnings, locals radio and tv stations to listen for weather and warning updates.