Mayoral Column – Supporting Penrith to get emergency ready

Wednesday, 9 September 2026

Building community resilience and keeping residents safe is a responsibility that Penrith City Council takes seriously. Ahead of EmergencyRedi Week (14-20 September), Council is supporting this national campaign that urges everyone to plan for disasters before they strike.

Led by the Australian Red Cross, this campaign brings together organisations and services to help communities prepare for any emergency. By understanding local risks, connecting with one another, and taking practical steps to prepare, we can strengthen our shared knowledge and keep our community safe.   

The Penrith community has experienced serious floods and fires, and we know how disruptive and damaging emergencies can be. Whether it’s extreme weather or an unexpected house fire, being prepared looks different for every household. 

Council has a dedicated web page that offers simple advice, a range of helpful resources, and links to other trusted sites. Visit www.penrith.city/emergency-ready to access this information.   

This page also links to the Penrith Emergency Dashboard, another valuable tool that provides real-time updates on emergencies, roadwork, and fire and weather warnings. It also includes a digital map and key agency contacts. You can access it directly at disasterdashboard.penrith.city.  

Council’s work delivers on the goals and actions of our Resilient Penrith Action Plan 2021-30, by helping to reduce risks and ensuring our community feels informed, supported and ready to respond when challenges arise.   

One of Council’s latest initiatives engaged more than 60 residents from caravan park communities along the Nepean River. With funding from the Australian and NSW Governments, we partnered with NSW SES, Nepean Blue Mountains Primary Health Network and other local services to deliver targeted emergency preparedness sessions between October 2025 and June 2026.  

We are always exploring new ways to support our community to prepare. As we move into the warmer months, Council is launching a new Emergency Ready video series, with short and practical videos rolling out on Council’s social media channels from next week.  

Cr Todd Carney
Mayor of Penrith

Information contained within this news release was correct as at Wednesday, 9 September 2026.