Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Fishers
When you reside in an apartment, you take basic safety precautions each day, like locking your door when you depart. But you probably don’t give as much consideration to major threats like natural disasters. Storms, fires, and more can happen with minimal warning and cause devastation. While apartments are constructed to endure environmental forces, you still must protect yourself. Follow this guide to find out more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Fishers and gain confidence in your ability to manage any urgent situation.
Get Ready For Any Situation With An Apartment Emergency Kit
If you need to shelter in place or evacuate quickly, having a well-prepared apartment emergency kit in your Fishers unit will make any urgent event easier to manage. Designate a spot in your apartment to store a go-bag and other emergency supplies including:
- Flashlights
- Additional batteries
- Weather radio
- First aid kit and medicine
- Power bank or wireless phone charger
- Water and non-perishable, cookless food for three days
- Sturdy shoes and additional clothes
- Children's supplies
- Extra blankets
- Photocopies of critical documents in a waterproof bag
How To Prepare For An Apartment Fire In Fishers
With a great number of Residents in one structure, apartment fires can become especially hazardous. Being prepared increases your probability of survival.
Your community maintenance team should veify that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers work in every unit. Do not disconnect or tamper with these. Adhere to community fire rules and abstain from using open flames inside. Don’t store items in hallways that could injure people during an evacuation. Establish an escape plan for everyone in your apartment.
If a less intense fire occurs in your apartment, follow basic guidelines for extinguishing it with a fire extinguisher or water. Utilize the extinguisher, salt, or baking soda on grease fires.
Evacuate at once if a fire grows. Use the stairs and the closest exit and move away from the building before you call 911. Avoid propping open doors; they can permit drafts that help spread fire. Avoid going back inside to save belongings or people.
How To Take Cover In Your Apartment During A Dangerous Storm
The Midwest often gets a great many tornadoes each year. Powerful winds and intense thunderstorms can also be life-threatening. You probably learned in school to seek shelter in a basement, but what do you do during a tornado in an apartment in Fishers?
The safest spots for apartment dwellers are
- The sub-level of an underground parking garage
- The first floor of your building, and far from windows
- A ground-floor neighbor’s apartment
- Interior halls or stairwells without windows
- An interior room or closet of your apartment
- Underneath a solid table
- In the bathtub with a heavy blanket for protection
Put a bike helmet, construction hat, or pillow on your head. Avoid standing by windows or near heavy objects that could topple onto you.
If your building sustains severe damage from heavy storms, evacuate as cautiously as you can. As you depart, be cautious of gas leaks and damaged power lines. Walk or drive to a safe place.
How To Stay Protected In Your Apartment During Winter Weather
Winter storms can quickly turn a winter wonderland into a hazardous situation. Pay attention to weather forecasts regularly and prepare for extreme weather before it comes. Don’t stress yourself out, but stock up on essentials before a winter storm arrives and have a plan for keepin comfortable in your apartment. Let water drip from your faucets to reduce the risk of frozen pipes.
Dial your emergency maintenance hotline right away if your furnace fails or you experience a burst pipe during cold weather. If you lose heat and power during a winter storm, follow these recommendations:
- Stay indoors
- Put on layers of warm apparel and cover yourself in blankets
- Monitor vulnerable individuals for frostbite or hypothermia
Do not use fuel-consuming appliances within your apartment to keep yourself warm. They give off toxic gases that accumulate inside.
Living With A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Fishers
We all encounter a power outage occasionally. Most of the time, your local utility company will bring back power within a couple of hours. Even so, a large enough natural disaster might leave you with no power for many days or longer.
Your emergency kit can help you navigate a power outage. But, circumstances can become hazardous if you are without heat or AC during harsh temperatures. In this case, at-risk individuals should move to a location with power.
Abide By These Food Safety And Cooking Guidelines
be cautious about unsafe food. When your power is out, don’t open your fridge and freezer. Generally, food remains safe in an unopened refrigerator for 4 hours and a freezer for 1-2 days after a power failure. Use a cooler with ice if possible to maintain essential food throughout the first 24 hours of an outage.
Here’s what you can do if you leave home during a blackout at your apartment in Fishers:
- Turn off anything that may have been running
- Have neighbors let you know when power is back on
- Be alert to downed utility lines as you depart and contact the power company to report any
What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Fishers
If you live near a river or flood zone, you might encounter flooding after severe storms or if a dam fails. Watch for news updates and follow issued warnings. If an evacuation is issued, adhere to these steps:
- Disconnect all electrical components that are still dry.
- Swiftly collect necessary items or get your emergency go-bag.
- Move items you want to save to higher locations.
- Evacuate to a safer location on higher ground.
- Never drive through flooded areas or wade into floodwaters.
In an extreme emergency during flash flooding, make every effort to make your way to the top story of your building or the rooftop.
How To React To An Earthquake In Your Apartment
Even though the Midwest isn’t a hotspot for earthquakes, you might feel a little shake from time to time! It’s smart to understand what to do if you experience an earthquake in your apartment in Fishers, just in case.
To make your home more earthquake ready, store large or heavy items on lower shelves. Don’t hang anything substantial above couches or beds. Anchor tall pieces like bookshelves to walls.
When you detect the first tremors of an earthquake, go to the floor and make your way to a door frame, under a solid piece of furniture, or next to an interior wall. Avoid windows, exterior doors, light fixtures, or anything at risk of falling. Shield your head with one hand and grab onto anything stable with the other. If it’s possible to reach a pillow, get it above your head.
When it appears the quake has stopped, assess yourself and other occupants for injuries. Tune in to the local news for directions and brace yourself for aftershocks. Check your nearby surroundings for threats like fire, broken power lines, or gas leaks. Extinguish fires and shut down the gas or power if you you are able to do so without risk. If you spot damage to your building, evacuate your building as cautiously and rapidly as possible.
Additional Emergency Preparedness Recommendations For Apartment Residents In Fishers
Disaster can occur at any time. A few extra tips can help you deal with the unforeseen and remain safe:
- Collaborate with neighbors. Get to know other Residents in your building so you’re aware who might be home if a crisis unfolds. Discuss what supplies, safe shelter locations, or expertise you can share in urgent events.
- Make sure you carry renters’ insurance.
- Do not use an elevator for evacuation during an emergency.
- Know of a safe place to take pets if you must evacuate to an emergency relief center.
- If a natural disaster leaves your building unlivable, don’t come back until you receive a notice from property management.
- Use a portable radio or cell phone to find local resources if you need to evacuate.
Your Comfort And Safety Matter At The District at Saxony Apartment Homes
We can’t control the weather, but we can offer you an incredible apartment lifestyle in Fishers! The District at Saxony Apartment Homes is noted for our popular amenities, terrific location, roomy floor plans, and helpful employees. Arrange a tour today and speak with one of our leasing agents about making The District your future home.