Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Fishers
Living in an apartment, you implement basic safety measures each day, like locking up when you depart. But you might not give as much attention to more significant hazards like natural disasters. Fires, tornadoes, and more can strike with little warning and cause widespread devastation. While apartments are made to withstand natural elements, you still need to take precautions. Use this guide to discover more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Fishers and be ready for any urgent event.
Prepare Yourself For Any Situation With An Apartment Emergency Kit
If you need to take cover or evacuate rapidly, having a well-stocked apartment emergency kit in your Fishers unit will make any situation a little easier. Determine a spot in your apartment to stow a go-bag and additional emergency supplies like the following:
- Flashlights
- Extra batteries
- Weather radio
- First aid kit and medicine
- Wireless phone charger or power bank
- Three days of water and shelf-stable food
- Sturdy shoes and spare clothes
- Child necessities
- Additional blankets
- Photocopies of essential documents in a sealed, waterproof bag
How To Prepare For An Apartment Fire In Fishers
With a great number of Residents in a single building, apartment fires can become extremely destructive. Taking precautions improves your chances of avoiding harm.
Your apartment maintenance team should veify that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are functional in each unit. Do not disable these. Abide by community fire rules and don’t use open flames indoors. Avoid keeping things in hallways that could trip people during an evacuation. Have an escape plan for everyone in your apartment.
If a minor fire breaks out in your apartment, follow recommended guidelines for taking care of it with a fire extinguisher or water. When dealing with, use baking soda, the extinguisher, or salt.
If a fire gets big, evacuate immediately. Depart using the stairs and the closest exit and move away from the building before calling 911. Never prop open doors; they can let in drafts that intesify the fire. Refrain from going back inside to collect possessions or other Residents.
How To Shelter In Your Apartment During A Severe Storm
The Midwest may see a great many tornadoes every year. Severe thunderstorms and high winds can also be life-threatening. You may have learned at an early age to shelter in a basement, but what should you do during a tornado in an apartment in Fishers?
The best spots for apartment ocupants are
- The lowest floor of an underground parking garage
- The ground floor of your building, and away from windows
- A first-floor neighbor’s apartment
- Interior hallways or stairwells without windows
- An interior room or closet of your apartment
- Underneath a heavy table
- In the bathtub with a heavy blanket for protection
Wear a construction hat, bicycle helmet, or pillow on your head. Avoid standing next to windows or beside hefty objects that may fall on you.
If your building experiences severe damage from a storm, evacuate as cautiously as you can. As you exit, be cautious of gas leaks and damaged power lines. Drive or walk to a secure location.
How To Stay Safe In Your Apartment During Winter Weather
Winter weather can turn a winter wonderland into a treacherous situation quickly. Watch weather forecasts throughout the season and be prepared for inclement weather before it comes. Don’t panic, but gather necessities before a severe weather hits and have a plan for keeping warm in your apartment. Let water drip from faucets to help prevent pipes from freezing.
Dial your emergency maintenance number promptly if your furnace dies or you suffer a burst pipe during freezing temperatures. If you lose heat and power during storm, abide by these recommendations:
- Stay inside
- Wear layers of warm clothes and cover yourself in blankets
- Monitor susceptible individuals for frostbite or hypothermia
Avoid using fuel-burning appliances inside your apartment to keep yourself warm. They release dangerous gases that build up inside.
Surviving A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Fishers
We all encounter a power outage occasionally. In most cases, your local utility company will bring back power within a few hours. Even so, a significant enough natural disaster can leave you with no power for several days or longer.
Your emergency kit can help you get through a power outage. Even so, conditions can become risky if you lack air conditioning or heat during harsh temperatures. If this happens, at-risk individuals should move to somewhere with power.
Abide By These Cooking And Food Safety Recommendations
be cautious about spoiled food. When your power is out, don’t open your refrigerator and freezer. Typically, food remains safe in a shut refrigerator for up to 4 hours and a freezer for 1-2 days after losing power. If you have a cooler and ice, use it to keep essential food cool throughout the first 24 hours of a blackout.
Here’s what you should do if you depart during a power failure at your apartment in Fishers:
- Switch off any appliances that might have been running
- Have neighbors notify you when power is back on
- Look for downed utility lines as you exit and contact the power company to report them
What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Fishers
If you reside close to a river or flood zone, you might face flooding after heavy rain or if a dam fails. Watch for news alerts and take note of issued warnings. If you have to evacuate, follow these steps:
- Unplug all electrical appliances that are still dry.
- Quickly collect necessary items or retrieve your emergency go-bag.
- Move items you want to save to elevated spots.
- Proceed to a secure location away from the flood zone.
- Never drive over submerged streets or wade into moving water.
In an extreme emergency during rapid flooding, make every effort to get up to the uppermost floor of your building or the rooftop.
How To Respond To An Earthquake In Your Apartment
Although the Midwest isn’t a hotbed for earthquakes, you might feel a bit of rattling now and then! It doesn’t hurt to understand what to do if you feel an earthquake in your apartment in Fishers, as a precaution.
To make your unit more equipped to handle an earthquake, stow larger and heavier belongings on lower shelves. Avoid hanging anything heavy over your bed or seating. Fasten tall pieces like bookshelves to walls.
When you feel the beginning rumbles of an earthquake, go to the floor and make your way to a door frame, beside an interior wall or below a heavy table. Stay clear of light fixtures, windows, exterior doors, or anything at risk of toppling over. Protect your head with one hand and hold onto something stable with the other. If you’re able to snag a pillow, place it over your head.
Once it appears the rattling has stopped, assess yourself and others for injuries. Tune in to the local news for guidance and prepare yourself for aftershocks. Inspect your close surroundings for threats like gas leaks, fires, or damaged power lines. Extinguish fires and turn off the gas and power if you you are able to do so without risk. If you spot damage to your building, evacuate your building as safely and rapidly as possible.
Other Emergency Preparedness Recommendations For Apartment Residents In Fishers
Disasters can strike at any moment. A few additional suggestions can help you handle the unforeseen and stay safe:
- Collaborate with neighbors. Get acquainted with others in your building so you’re aware who else might be home if a crisis unfolds. Chat about what supplies, protected shelter areas, or skills you can share in emergencies.
- Make sure you have renters’ insurance.
- Avoid using an elevator for evacuation during an emergency.
- Arrange a safe place to take pets if you need to evacuate to a temporary shelter.
- If a disaster leaves your building uninhabitable, don’t re-enter until you get a communication from property management.
- Utilize a battery-powered radio or cell phone to locate local resources if you must evacuate.
Your Safety And Comfort Are A Priority At Spark Apartments
We have no control over the weather, but we can provide you an exceptional apartment lifestyle in Fishers! Spark Apartments is recognized for our sought-after amenities, terrific location, open floor plans, and responsive staff. Take a tour today and talk to one of our leasing professionals about making Spark your new home.