One of the Western Australia's biggest concentrations of emergency manpower and equipment is planned this month as the picturesque South West town of Albany gears up to mark the day, 100 years ago, a convoy of soldiers set off to fight in World War I.

Police and emergency services are expecting a crowd of 60,000 to descend on the historical port town, which will host the four-day Albany Convoy Commemorative Event from October 31.

The event remembers the Australian and New Zealand troops who departed in convoy from King George Sound on November 1, 1914, initially bound for Europe.

With just three weeks to go, government agency chiefs are burning the candle at both ends preparing for what amounts to one of the state's biggest logistical operations.

Great Southern Police District Superintendent Catherine Bullen said preparations had involved hundreds of hours of planning, and specialist police squads were being brought in to swell the local district ranks.

Mounted police, water police, the air wing with their helicopter, state security to watch over the VIPs, and the Tactical Response Group will join motorbike traffic police to keep watch.

A fast-attack helicopter would also be brought in, along with two water bombers in the case of a fire emergency.

Traffic snarl fears for start, finish of event

A potential headache for police will be keeping thousands of cars flowing smoothly on the highways leading to Albany.

Superintendent Bullen said the biggest job will be to get the message out that travellers should allow plenty of time to get down to the town.

"Motorists should forget about trying getting here in five hours," she said.

"Budget on six, seven, even eight hours given the predictions we have of how many people plan to drive."

Main Roads will place 10 bulletin boards down the highway warning of delays and diversions. In the skies above a light plane will monitor traffic.

Superintendant Bullen said the force had upped its Twitter and Facebook profile to keep motorists informed about delays and possible diversions.

When visitors arrived they would have to leave their cars on the outskirts of Albany and ride into the city on one of the 60 buses brought in for the occasion.

The highlight of the commemoration would be on Saturday November 1.

The troop march, memorial service and the symbolic departure of a Royal Australian Navy fleet would see big crowds trying to get close to the action.

Ms Bullen said police would have a presence but it would be low key.

Big screens carrying live pictures of the events would be set up away from the main street in an attempt to keep the visitors from packing in downtown.

'Mini' ambulance to help in crowds

Ambulance crews will be bolstered with 10 extra vehicles and 14 staff brought in from Perth.

Volunteer paramedics were on standby on all the country highways with nursing post staff rostered for duty.

Saint John Ambulance's Albany chief David Schober said they had brought in a special narrow "mini ambulance" that could travel down boardwalks and footpaths to get through crowds, and four-wheel-drive ambulances for potential beach rescues.

The four days would cost the service $150,000.

All staff at the Albany Health campus would be on call, with the Emergency Department geared to handle the possibility of multiple people presenting for treatment.

Regional health director Sue Kay said every scenario had been worked through and planned for.

Local GPs had been rostered on at medical centres.

Ms Kay warned spectators to come with all the medications they needed, because in the event of a real emergency waiting times could be "horrendous".

Protect, respect local bushland, visitors urged

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services brigade chief Kevin Parsons said the agency has planned for the possibility of fires on the city's bushland vantage points, where thousands of people would flock to see the convoy ships depart.

Two water bombers would be stationed at the airport, starting two weeks earlier this year to be on hand for the event.

There would be measures in place to protect the area's fragile bushland ecosystems.

The Department of Parks and Wildlife would increase the numbers rangers on patrol, and would be keeping an eye on campers in National Parks and popular coastal visitor hot spots.

They were expecting hundreds of visitors to go out to the The Gap tourist destination.

Massive strain expected on communication networks

Telstra had beefed up their communication systems in town, after concerns huge numbers will be using their phones to message, tweet and otherwise tell the world about the event.

The telco has added a new phone tower and increased bandwidth on their 3G and 4G networks.

In a first for such a major event in WA, they had also set up a free wifi footprint across the Albany CBD.

Telstra's Boyd Brown said the company is expecting a massive demand on data when people upload photos and videos.

Creating a wifi network will divert traffic away from the mobile system, which could easily be overwhelmed, creating a kind of virtual chaos.

From all service providers, the message is that people need to be patient and stay safe.

Superintendant Bullen has a simple message for a trouble free time.

"Be like a local. Come early, allow plenty of time for everything, and don’t be in a hurry to go anywhere," she said.