Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Westfield
Living in an apartment, you implement basic safety measures each day, like locking up when you go out. But you might not give as much attention to more significant threats like natural disasters. Fires, tornadoes, and more can occur with hardly any warning and result in a chaotic situation. While apartment buildings are constructed to withstand natural elements, you still must take precautions. Follow this guide to discover more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Westfield and gain confidence in your ability to navigate any urgent event.
Get Ready For Anything With An Apartment Emergency Kit
If you need to shelter in place or evacuate rapidly, having a well-prepared apartment emergency kit in your Westfield abode will make any emergency easier to manage. Designate a space in your apartment to store a go-bag and other emergency supplies including:
- Flashlights
- Extra batteries
- Weather radio
- First aid kit and vital medications
- Power bank or wireless phone charger
- Non-perishable, no-cook food and water for three days
- Sturdy shoes and spare clothes
- Children's supplies
- Spare blankets
- Copies of essential documents in a waterproof bag
How To Prepare For An Apartment Fire In Westfield
With numerous Residents in one structure, apartment fires can be particularly destructive. Being prepared increases your odds of coming out unscathed.
Your property maintenance professionals should confirm that fire extinguishers and smoke alarms work in all units. Do not deactivate these. Adhere to community fire guidelines and avoid using open flames indoors. Avoid keeping belongings in hallways that may be in the way during an evacuation. Establish an exit strategy for everyone in your apartment.
If a small fire starts in your apartment, comply with basic guidelines for extinguishing it with a fire extinguisher or water. Utilize the extinguisher, baking soda, or salt on grease fires.
Evacuate immediately if a fire grows. Depart using the stairs and the closest exit and get away from the building before calling 911. Avoid propping open doors; they will bring in drafts that accelerate the fire. Do not go back in to retrieve belongings or others.
How To Shelter In Your Apartment During A Severe Storm
The Midwest often gets numerous tornadoes every year. Intense thunderstorms and strong winds can also be dangerous. You may have learned at a young age to shelter in a cellar, but what do you do during a tornado in an apartment in Westfield?
The best spots for apartment Residents are
- The lowest floor of an underground parking garage
- The ground floor of your building, and away from windows
- A neighbor’s ground-floor apartment
- Interior stairwells or halls without windows
- An interior room or closet of your apartment
- Underneath a solid table
- Within the bathtub with a thick blanket to help protect you
Wear a bike helmet, construction hat, or pillow on your head. Avoid standing close to windows or around hefty objects that might fall on you.
If your building experiences significant damage from a storm, evacuate as safely as possible. As you exit, be alert for downed power lines and gas leaks. Drive or walk to a secure location.
Staying Safe In Your Apartment During Winter Weather
Winter weather can quickly turn a an enchanting winter scene into a hazardous situation. Watch weather forecasts regularly and prepare for inclement weather before it strikes. Don’t stress yourself out, but gather essentials before a winter storm arrives and have a strategy for keepin comfortable in your apartment. Keep water dripping from your faucets to minimize the risk of frozen pipes.
Call your emergency maintenance hotline immediately if you experience a burst pipe or your furnace stops working during cold weather. If your power and heat are lost during a winter storm, abide by these guidelines:
- Stay inside
- Dress in layers of warm clothing and wrap up in blankets
- Keep close watch of sensitive individuals for hypothermia or frostbite
Do not use fuel-consuming appliances in your apartment to keep yourself warm. They release hazardous gases that accumulate inside.
Dealing With A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Westfield
We all face a power outage on occasion. In most cases, your local energy company will restore power within two or three hours. With that being said, a significant enough natural disaster may leave you without power for several days or possibly weeks.
Your emergency supplies can help you get through a power outage. However, circumstances can become dangerous if you are without heat or air conditioning during severe temperatures. In this case, at-risk individuals should relocate to a building with power.
Abide By These Food Safety And Cooking Recommendations
Beware of rotting food. When your power is out, don’t open your fridge and freezer. Typically, food keeps in a closed refrigerator for up to 4 hours and a freezer for up to 2 days after power goes out. Use a cooler with ice if you can to keep essential food cool over the first day of an outage.
Utilize these recommendations if you need to leave during a power failure at your apartment in Westfield:
- Switch off any appliances that may have been on
- Have neighbors notify you when power is back on
- Look for downed utility lines as you depart and call the utility company to report them
What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Westfield
If you live near a flood zone or river, you may face flooding after severe storms or if a dam is breached. Watch for news alerts and take note of any orders for evacuation. If an evacuation is issued, adhere to these steps:
- Disconnect all electrical components that are still dry.
- Swiftly pack the basics or retrieve your emergency go-bag.
- Move belongings you wish to save to higher locations.
- Move to a secure location out of the flood zone.
- Avoid driving across flooded roads or wade into floodwaters.
In an extreme emergency during rapid flooding, do everything necessary to get up to the uppermost floor of your building or the roof.
How To React To An Earthquake In Your Apartment
Although the Midwest isn’t well known for earthquakes, we experience a little shake from time to time! It’s a good idea to learn what to do if you feel an earthquake in your apartment in Westfield, just to be safe.
To make your apartment more prepared for an earthquake, store large or heavy belongings on lower shelves. Avoid hanging anything heavy above beds or sitting areas. Anchor tall items like display cabinets to walls.
If you feel the initial rattles of an earthquake, go to your knees and crawl to a door frame, under a sturdy furnishing, or beside an interior wall. Stay away from windows, exterior doors, light fixtures, or anything at risk of crashing down. Protect your head with one hand and hold onto something secure with the other. If it’s possible to snag a pillow, put it above your head.
When you feel the quake has stopped, examine yourself and others for injuries. Tune in to local news outlets for guidance and prepare yourself for aftershocks. Inspect your close surroundings for risks like toppled electrical lines, fires, or gas leaks. Put out fires and disable the gas and power if you it’s possible to do so without putting yourself at risk. If you see building damage, evacuate as cautiously and swiftly as possible.
Other Emergency Preparedness Suggestions For Apartment Residents In Westfield
Disasters can occur at any second. A few additional suggestions can help you deal with the unforeseen and stay protected:
- Collaborate with neighbors. Become familiar with others in your building so you know who might be on site if a crisis unfolds. Chat about what supplies, protected shelter locations, or expertise you can use in emergencies.
- Make sure you have renters’ insurance.
- Do not use an elevator to evacuate during a crisis.
- Arrange a secure location to shelter pets if you have to evacuate to a temporary shelter.
- If a disaster makes your building unlivable, wait for communication from property employees before returning.
- Use a handheld radio or mobile phone to discover local resources if you need to evacuate.
Your Well-Being And Comfort Matter At Harmony Apartment Homes
We have no control over the weather, but we can provide you an outstanding apartment lifestyle in Westfield! Harmony Apartment Homes is recognized for our sought-after amenities, great location, spacious floor plans, and helpful staff. Schedule a tour today and speak with one of our leasing agents about making Harmony your next home.