Code 6 – Emergency Broadcasting

This Code is from the Community Radio Broadcasting Codes of Practice (2025) and goes into effect on 1 July 2025. For information about the current Codes of Practice visit https://www.cbaa.org.au/community-broadcasting/codes-of-practice-current.

CODE

6.1 Where we offer emergency broadcasts, we will have procedures in place to enable appropriate local emergency broadcasts.

6.2 Where we offer emergency broadcasts, those broadcasts must include:

a) accurate, reliable, and timely factual information; and

b) locally relevant information, to the extent possible.

6.3 Where possible, we provide emergency broadcasts in the main languages other than English spoken in our local area.

OTHER LEGISLATIVE MATTERS

In Victoria, official emergency broadcasters have additional requirements.
The Government may require us to broadcast items of national interest or make use of our facilities if an emergency arises.

GUIDANCE NOTE ON CODE 6 - EMERGENCY BROADCASTING

Community broadcasters can play a vital role in communications during emergencies, by providing their communities with up-to-date information that is hyperlocal and responsive. Our stations provide their communities with factual, real-time, local information that is in-language and in the appropriate community context.

This guidance material contains general information only and is not professional advice. This information is to be used at stations’ and broadcasters’ own discretion and risk.

Complete CBAA’s Emergency Broadcasting Course as the first step

The CBAA’s Emergency Broadcasting Course is a comprehensive resource for all stations interested in emergency broadcasting. We encourage all stations interested in emergency broadcasting to complete the course first and then to read this guidance material. The course provides critical context and ensures stations are prepared to effectively use the guidance in this resource.

Plan before an emergency and assess station risk

Stations need to prioritise planning before facing an emergency. It is important to proactively decide the station’s role before, during and after disaster rather than reacting under pressure.

Risks involved in emergency broadcasting

Emergency broadcasting is valuable and rewarding but carries risks such as resource strain, potential trauma for volunteers, and the high stakes of delivering accurate information. Stations must carefully consider these risks and decide their level of involvement in advance.

Developing a plan

Stations need a clear plan covering:

When to start, continue, and stop emergency broadcasts.

Contingencies for technical disruptions, such as loss of power or transmitter access.

Consistent messaging across programs to avoid listener confusion.

Highlight the importance of volunteer wellbeing during prolonged emergency coverage.

Assessing the community’s risk profile

Stations should identify the most likely emergency events in their area based on historical data and Local Emergency Management Planning processes.

GUIDANCE NOTE FOR CODE 6.1 - HAVING PROCEDURES IN PLACE

6.1 Appropriate local emergency broadcasts have procedures in place

Station boards and/or management determine the level of involvement in emergency broadcasting for their station. Key considerations may include:

The number of volunteers willing to broadcast and their expertise during a time of crisis

Whether emergency broadcasting is a priority

Whether a specialist station that does not broadcast much talk content can provide emergency broadcasting throughout the emergency

If the broadcast area is already well served with emergency information

Back up technology for broadcast

Preparing to broadcast during an emergency

A selection of example procedures and policies listed below may be a helpful starting point for preparing to broadcast during an emergency.

For a station

If impacted – develop a station emergency plan that includes an essentials list of items, contacts and actions if the station faces crisis

If impacted – develop an emergency plan for each individual volunteer working during a disaster. See the Australian Red Cross’ Rediplan

Confirm Volunteer Agreements are signed for each spontaneous and ongoing volunteer working at the station

Confirm understanding about the station’s obligation to volunteer safety. See the National Volunteering Guide Part 4: Volunteer Safety by Justice Connect

Confirm your station has adequate insurance coverage to protect it from liability. Confirm your station has volunteer personal accident insurance to protect volunteers.

Confirm an approach to emergency broadcasting that considers other networks or agreements as an official emergency broadcaster

Offer training to volunteers on appropriate emergency broadcasting

Share mental health support services with volunteers

Build awareness and prepare any back up technology, generators or UPS

Set up ABC rebroadcast (should the station wish). Find general alerts on https://www.abc.net.au/emergency

For a presenter

Confirm the presenter understands and has signed their Volunteer Agreement

Develop a presenter-in-emergency procedure that sets out when to begin presenting after an official warning

Understand emergency broadcasting should be triggered by an official warning when lives and properties are threatened. Fire warnings are issued by state and territory fire agencies, weather related warnings are issued by State Emergency Services and the Bureau of Meteorology. More information can be found at CBAA’s website here.

Confirm the type of emergency broadcasts on radio and social media, how and when to present on-air

Understand the station’s expectations and safety plans regarding emergency broadcasting

Be aware of any available support services

During an emergency

For a broadcaster

Broadcast emergency broadcasting stings. The CBAA has produced a set of 4 alert stings which should be played before giving warning information on radio. Members can access the stings on the CBAA’s website here.

Be aware of when to commence and stop on air updates and broadcasts

In recovery

Broadcasters

Confirm an approach to designate broadcasts each day to community recovery information

Station:

Review processes and updates as needed

Audit damages to equipment or premises

Share support resources, services and contact information to volunteers and staff

There are different types of emergency broadcasters:

Official Emergency Broadcasters in Victoria

Radio stations in Victoria including some community stations, signed agreements with Emergency Management Committees to become an Official Emergency Broadcaster. This is a formal arrangement and includes a signed Memorandum of Understand (MoU) which details the expectations of the role.

Emergency Broadcasting in other states and territories

Currently there are few options outside the state of Victoria for community stations to be officially recognised as emergency broadcasters. Stations can begin emergency broadcasting without the ‘official’ title, they just will not be able to hold the title of an Official Emergency Broadcaster.

Stations that supply some information without official agreement are generally referred to as ‘republishers’ or ‘rebroadcasters’. In emergencies, warnings republishers play an important role to convey official information. Warnings republishers may seek to republish and tailor warnings and information for their specific audience and community. They benefit statutory providers by extending reach of warning messages and access to larger audiences; reduce impact on emergency service agencies and help impacted people confirm the validity of information.

Guidance for Warning Republishers

The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience has published Warning Republishers: Companion to Public Information and Warnings Handbook (2021) that sets out guidance on republishing warnings during emergencies for emergency broadcasters. It provides guidelines for warnings republishers including:

Check the warning is current and is republished in a timely manner

Maintain the intent of a warning, this includes both the wording and spatial representation of an official warning

Take care to correctly replicate or reproduce maps and images

Include the original warning’s source, date and time of publication

Republish any revisions or updates to the original warning, including de-escalation of warnings informing the community the emergency has eased or ceased

If the warning is from an unofficial source, clearly indicate the source and that it contains unverified information

GUIDANCE NOTE FOR CODE 6.2 - BROADCASTING ACCURATE INFORMATION

For emergency broadcasting, broadcasters shall provide relevant information that is consistent, accurate, short and easy to understand. Broadcasting in the language of a station’s local area is important and should be prioritised for messaging to reach communities.

The CBAA worked with the ABC to create resources to support CBAA members when emergency broadcasting. These resources set out when to begin emergency broadcasting, emergency broadcasting stings stations can use before giving warning information on radio and how to broadcast alerts on radio and social media with an example of a warning. This resource can be found on the CBAA’s website here.

Factual information for broadcast to the community may include:

Messaging and advice from government emergency services and agencies including State and local fire services, SES and police

Data from government spatial mapping websites such as Fires Near Me

Messaging from local community services such as a local Australian Red Cross branches or local government resilience networks

Updates and warnings about local information including live traffic updates

Factually relevant local information by validated sources

Eyewitness and talkback reports

Unless the law provides otherwise, CBAA does not have any liability to any person arising from a station’s use of or reliance upon this guidance.

Training for community broadcasters

CBAA Online Emergency Broadcasting Course

This course provides knowledge, understanding and competency to be better equipped and ready for the next emergency broadcast, should you choose to take on the role of an emergency broadcaster. The course is designed for both station managers, and for individual volunteers and broadcasters.

More information about the course is available on the CBAA website: https://learning.cbaa.org.au/collections/emergency-broadcasting

CBAA Resilience and Trauma in Community Broadcasting Course

This course is a set of modules, designed to support the resilience of community broadcasters when dealing with traumatic experiences. CBAA partnered with Dart Centre Asia Pacific to create this resource.

Broadcasting stings for community broadcasters

Emergency Reporting on Radio and Social Media

The CBAA worked with the ABC Emergency Team to create this set of resources to support CBAA members when Emergency Broadcasting (EB) may be required.

More information about emergency stings and example stings can be found at: Emergency Reporting on Radio and Social Media

External resources for dealing with emergencies

Justice Connect - National Volunteer Guide and Disaster Legal Toolkit

Justice Connect is a not-for-profit law organisation that provides a range of resources for community organisations including the National Volunteering Guide.

Resources about managing volunteer safety can be found on the website.

The Disaster Legal Toolkit also provides answers to disaster related legal questions and issues.

Self Care, Working with Victims and Survivors

Australian Red Cross - Communicating in recovery

The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, is dedicated to informed, innovative and ethical news reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy.

State Service List

This list sets out the state bodies that stations can sign up directly with to receive official warnings. An additional list is located in CBAA’s resource library here.

Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience – Knowledge Hub

The Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) has developed the Knowledge Hub, a national platform that supports and informs policy, planning, decision making and contemporary good practice in disaster resilience. 