Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Indianapolis
When you live in an apartment, you follow general safety precautions every day, like locking up when you leave. But you may not give as much consideration to larger-scale risks like natural disasters. Storms, fires, and more can happen with minimal warning and lead to devastation. While apartment buildings are built to endure natural elements, you still must take precautions. Follow this guide to learn more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Indianapolis and gain confidence in your ability to handle any urgent situation.
Get Ready For Any Crisis With An Apartment Emergency Kit
Whether you need to shelter where you are or evacuate rapidly, having an apartment emergency kit in your Indianapolis abode will make any urgent event easier to manage. Find a space in your apartment to stow a go-bag and additional emergency supplies including:
- Flashlights
- Spare batteries
- Weather radio
- Vital medications and first aid kit
- Power bank or wireless charger
- Non-perishable, ready-to-eat food and water for three days
- Durable shoes and additional clothes
- Children’s essentials
- Spare blankets
- Copies of important documents in a plastic bag
How To Be Prepared For An Apartment Fire In Indianapolis
With so many Residents in the same structure, apartment fires can be particularly destructive. Taking precautions enhances your probability of avoiding harm.
Your apartment maintenance professionals should veify that smoke alarms and fire extinguishers are functional in every unit. Do not disconnect or tamper with these. Abide by community fire guidelines and abstain from using open flames inside. Avoid keeping items in hallways that may injure people during an evacuation. Design an exit strategy for everyone in your apartment.
If a less intense fire breaks out in your apartment, adhere to standard guidelines for taking care of it with a fire extinguisher or water. Use the extinguisher, baking soda, or salt on grease fires.
Evacuate at once if a fire grows. Use the stairs and the closest exit and move away from the structure before you call 911. Never prop open doors; they can bring in drafts that accelerate the fire. Refrain from going back in to save things or others.
How To Take Cover In Your Apartment During A Strong 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 in school to seek shelter in a basement, but what should you do during a tornado in an apartment in Indianapolis?
The safest spots for apartment ocupants are
- The lowest floor of an underground parking garage
- The first floor of your building, and far from windows
- A bottom-floor neighbor’s apartment
- Interior stairwells or halls without windows
- An interior room or closet of your apartment
- Below a sturdy table
- Inside the bathtub with a heavy blanket for protection
Wear a hard hat, bicycle helmet, or pillow on your head. Avoid standing by windows or around large objects that could fall on top of you.
If your building suffers significant damage from heavy storms, evacuate as carefully as possible. As you exit, watch out for gas leaks and damaged power lines. Drive or walk to a safe place.
How To Stay Protected In Your Apartment During Winter Storms
Winter weather can quickly turn a an enchanting winter scene into a hazardous situation. Monitor weather forecasts daily and be prepared for harsh weather before it comes. Don’t get stressed out, but collect necessities before a winter storm arrives and have a plan for keepin comfortable in your apartment. Let water drip from faucets to reduce the risk of frozen pipes.
Contact your emergency maintenance number immediately if your furnace stops working or you experience a burst pipe during freezing temperatures. If your power and heat are lost during an ice or snow storm, follow these tips:
- Stay inside
- Wear layers of warm clothing and bundle up in blankets
- Keep an eye on susceptible individuals for frostbite or hypothermia
Do not use fuel-burning appliances in your apartment to stay warm. They release hazardous gases that build up inside.
Dealing With A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Indianapolis
We all experience a power outage on occasion. Under most circumstances, your local energy company will reconnect your power within a couple of hours. Even so, a major natural disaster can leave you without power for days or possibly weeks.
Your disaster supplies can help you survive a power outage. Even so, circumstances can become risky if you don’t have heat or AC during severe temperatures. In this scenario, at-risk individuals should relocate to a building with power.
Abide By These Cooking And Food Safety Tips
be cautious about spoiled food. When your power is out, resist opening your refrigerator and freezer. Typically, food stays safe in a shut refrigerator for 4 hours and a freezer for 1-2 days after losing power. Use a cooler and ice if you can to preserve essential food during the first day of an outage.
Utilize these recommendations if you depart during a power failure at your apartment in Indianapolis:
- Shut off any appliances that might have been running
- Ask neighbors to inform you when power is back on
- Be alert to downed power lines as you exit and notify the energy company to report them
What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Indianapolis
If you are located near a river or flood zone, you may experience a flood after severe storms or if a dam is breached. Watch for news alerts and take note of issued warnings. If you need to evacuate, adhere to these steps:
- Disconnect all electrical appliances that are still dry.
- Quickly pack necessary items or get your emergency go-bag.
- Move essentials and precious items to higher locations.
- Move to a safe locale away from the flood zone.
- Don’t drive through flooded areas or wade into moving water.
In a dire situation during flash flooding, do all you can to get up to the uppermost floor of your building or the rooftop.
How To Respond To An Earthquake In Your Apartment
While the Midwest isn’t a hotspot for earthquakes, we experience a little shake on occasion! It’s a good idea to understand what to do if you experience an earthquake in your apartment in Indianapolis, as a precaution.
To make your unit more prepared for an earthquake, store heavy or large belongings on bottom shelves. Don’t hang anything weighty over couches or beds. Fasten tall items like display cabinets to walls.
When you feel the beginning tremors of an earthquake, drop to the ground and make your way to a door frame, next to an interior wall or below a sturdy table. Stay away from windows, light fixtures, exterior doors, or anything at risk of toppling over. Protect your head with one hand and clutch onto something stable with the other. If you can snag a pillow, get it over your head.
Whenever you believe the trembling has ceased, examine yourself and roomates for injuries. Pay attention to the local news for information and brace yourself for aftershocks. Check your immediate surroundings for threats like toppled electrical lines, fires, or gas leaks. Smother fires and shut down the gas and power if you it’s possible to do so without risk. If you spot building damage, evacuate your building as cautiously and swiftly as possible.
Extra Emergency Preparedness Recommendations For Apartment Residents In Indianapolis
Disaster can strike at any second. A few additional tips can help you handle the unexpected and remain safe:
- Collaborate with neighbors. Get acquainted with other Residents in your building so you have an idea who else might be on site if a crisis unfolds. Chat about what supplies, protected shelter locations, or knowledge you can all use in emergencies.
- Always carry renters’ insurance.
- Avoid using an elevator for evacuation during a crisis.
- Arrange a safe spot to take pets if you have to evacuate to an emergency location.
- If a natural disaster renders your building unlivable, wait for communication from property staff before coming back.
- Use a battery-powered radio or mobile phone to discover local resources if you need to evacuate.
Your Well-Being And Comfort Are A Priority At The Waverley Apartments
We can’t control the weather, but we can provide you an incredible apartment experience in Indianapolis! The Waverley Apartments is recognized for our great location, well-loved amenities, roomy floor plans, and friendly employees. Arrange a tour today and talk with one of our leasing specialists about making The Waverley your new home.