Business emergency support

Disaster and emergency assistance Support for food businesses Contact us

If your business has been impacted by a disaster a range of support is available to help you recover.

Disaster and emergency assistance for impacted businesses 

Explore a range of support, including financial assistance, grants, insurance guidance, and business recovery services. These services can help get your business back on track. 

Service NSW - Disaster and emergency assistance 

Personalised Business Support 

Personalised support for individual businesses is offered by Service NSW by calling 13 77 88, or by registering a call back at Business Concierge. Business Concierge support can assist businesses affected by natural disasters. 

Book a call with Service NSW Business Bureau

Mental health support for businesses and employees 

Recovering from a disaster can be stressful for business owners and employees. Service NSW offers resources to help manage wellbeing and mental health challenges. 

Service NSW - Mental health support 

Navigating staffing and logistics

Business NSW and Australian Business Lawyers and Advisors have created a quick guide to help you navigate staffing and logistics during a natural disaster. 

Business NSW - Navigating Staffing and Logistical Recovery

Get Ready for Disasters guides

The NSW Small Business Commissioner has a range of guides help you both prepare for disasters and handle the aftermath.  These can help you navigate insurance claims for the clean up after the event, and practical checklists and assessment tools to help you get back to business. 

NSW Small Business Commissioner - Get Ready for Disaster guides

Primary industries natural disaster damage assessment (PiNDDA) 

The NSW Department of Primary Industries' Natural Disaster Damage Survey helps assess disaster impacts and inform recovery support. 

Your input helps governments, industry, and communities assess disaster impacts on agriculture, plan recovery, and direct resources effectively.  

Complete the PiNDDA survey

If your business has been impacted by flooding, or natural disaster and has sustained damage, it is crucial to take photos as soon as it is safe to do so, as this will assist with future funding and insurance claims.

Support for food businesses

Power outages during severe weather can compromise food safety, as refrigeration and freezing may have been disrupted for an extended period. Perishable food that has been stored at unsafe temperatures should be carefully assessed and discarded if necessary to prevent foodborne illness. Additionally, contamination from storm damage, debris, and water exposure may pose further risks to food, surfaces, and utensils.

Things to remember

• Spoiled or damaged food – discard food that might not be safe to eat or has come in contact with floodwater.
• Check canned food and throw out any cans that are dented, swollen or damaged. Salvaging canned food for resale is not recommended.
• Keep it cold – If the power supply is out for more than 4 hours, food in fridges can spoil. If frozen foods have thawed, they should not be refrozen but should be kept cold and eaten as soon as possible. If in doubt throw it out.
• Cleaning – clean and sanitise surfaces and food utensils. Discard any cracked or damaged items including items made from porous material (wood, plastic, rubber) as they cannot be adequately sanitised.
• Drinking water – private water supplies (such as tanks, wells and bores) may not be safe to drink and use for cooking and cleaning and should be tested before using again. For businesses connected Council’s water supply, please monitor Council’s water supply advice on this website or call 02 6670 2400.
• Rubbish/waste – please secure your waste. Council’s waste contractor will reopen services as soon as possible.
• Electrical equipment – have electrical equipment that has been impacted by floodwater checked by a licensed electrician before use.

Floodwater can be contaminated with sewage, agricultural and industrial waste, and other substances that can cause illness. There is a danger that any food, surfaces and cooking utensils that have come into contact with floodwater might be contaminated.

Food Authority NSW - Food safety in emergencies fact sheet

Please contact Council’s Environmental Health Officers on 02 6670 2400, find more information on Council's website or Facebook page. Find out more about food business permits and approvals or call NSW Food Authority on 1300 552 406, or NSW Health on 02 9391 9000.

Further advice or assistance

After an emergency passes, you will want to get your business back on its feet as quickly as possible. Visit what to do after an emergency for helpful information, tips and templates.