  We discuss observational strategies to detect prompt bursts associated with
gravitational wave events using the Australian Square Kilometre Array
Pathfinder (ASKAP). Many theoretical models of binary neutron stars mergers
predict that bright, prompt radio emission would accompany the merger. The
detection of such prompt emission would greatly improve our knowledge of the
physical conditions, environment, and location of the merger. However, searches
for prompt emission are complicated by the relatively poor localisation for
gravitational wave events, with the 90\% credible region reaching hundreds or
even thousands of square degrees. Operating in fly's eye mode, the ASKAP field
of view can reach $\sim$1000 deg$^2$ at $\sim 888\,{\rm MHz}$. This potentially
allows observers to cover most of the 90\% credible region quickly enough to
detect prompt emission. We use skymaps for GW170817 and GW190814 from
LIGO/Virgo's third observing run to simulate the probability of detecting
prompt emission for gravitational wave events in the upcoming fourth observing
run. With only alerts released after merger we find it difficult to slew the
telescope sufficiently quickly as to capture any prompt emission. However, with
the addition of alerts released \textit{before} merger by negative-latency
pipelines we find that it should be possible to search for nearby, bright
prompt FRB-like emission from gravitational wave events. Nonetheless, the rates
are low: we would expect to observe $\sim$0.012 events during the fourth
observing run, assuming that the prompt emission is emitted microseconds around
the merger
