Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Westfield
Living in an apartment, you implement simple safety measures daily, like securing your door when you leave. But you may not give as much thought to major threats like natural disasters. Storms, fires, and more may occur with hardly any warning and result in a chaotic situation. While apartments are made to endure natural elements, you still need to take precautions. Follow this guide to find out more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Westfield and be ready for any urgent event.
Get Ready For Anything With An Apartment Emergency Kit
In the event you need to take cover or evacuate swiftly, having a well-stocked apartment emergency kit in your Westfield unit will make any situation more manageable. Designate a spot in your apartment to keep a go-bag and additional emergency supplies like the following:
- Flashlights
- Spare batteries
- Weather radio
- First aid kit and vital medications
- Power bank or wireless phone charger
- Water and shelf-stabe, ready-to-eat food for three days
- Durable shoes and spare clothes
- Children’s essentials
- Additional blankets
- Photocopies of important documents in a sealed, waterproof bag
How To Prepare For An Apartment Fire In Westfield
With numerous Residents in one building, apartment fires can be extremely destructive. Being ready increases your chances of survival.
Your community maintenance professionals should veify that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are functional in all apartments. Do not disable these. Follow community fire guidelines and abstain from using open flames inside. Don’t store items in hallways that could trip people during an evacuation. Design an exit strategy for your household.
If a less intense fire starts in your apartment, follow recommended guidelines for extinguishing it with water or a fire extinguisher. Use baking soda, the extinguisher, or salt on grease fires.
Evacuate right away if a fire spreads. Take the stairs and the nearest exit and move away from the building before dialing 911. Never prop open doors; they will bring in drafts that help spread fire. Do not go back in to retrieve possessions or people.
How To Take Cover In Your Apartment During A Severe Storm
The Midwest may see dozens of tornadoes each year. Severe thunderstorms and high winds can also be life-threatening. You may have learned at a young age to take cover in a basement, but what do you do during a tornado in an apartment in Westfield?
The safest spots for apartment dwellers are
- The lowest floor of an underground parking garage
- The first floor of your building, and far from windows
- A neighbor’s ground-floor apartment
- Interior hallways or stairwells without windows
- A closet or interior room of your apartment
- Below a sturdy table
- Within the bathtub with a heavy blanket for protection
Wear a hard hat, bicycle helmet, or pillow on your head. Never stand close to windows or near hefty objects that might fall on top of you.
If your building experiences severe damage from heavy storms, evacuate as safely as you can. As you leave, be cautious of toppled power lines and gas leaks. Drive or walk to a safe location.
Staying Safe In Your Apartment During Winter Storms
Winter weather can turn a lovely snow-covered day into a treacherous situation quickly. Monitor weather forecasts throughout the season and be prepared for harsh weather before it comes. Don’t stress yourself out, but gather essential items before a severe weather hits and make a plan for keepin comfortable in your apartment. Let water drip from faucets to help prevent pipes from freezing.
Contact your emergency maintenance hotline immediately if your furnace fails or you suffer a burst pipe during freezing temperatures. If you lose power and heat during a winter storm, abide by these guidelines:
- Stay indoors
- Wear layers of warm clothing and cover yourself in blankets
- Monitor sensitive individuals for frostbite or hypothermia
Never use fuel-burning appliances in your apartment to keep warm. They release toxic gases that collect inside.
Living With A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Westfield
We all face a power outage occasionally. In most cases, your local power company will restore power within two or three hours. Even so, a large enough natural disaster can leave you without electricity for days or even weeks.
Your emergency supplies can help you navigate a power outage. But, circumstances can get risky if you lack heat or AC during extreme temperatures. In this case, vulnerable individuals should move to a building with power.
Abide By These Cooking And Food Safety Guidelines
Beware of rotting food. When you lose power, don’t open your refrigerator and freezer. Generally, food keeps in a shut refrigerator for around 4 hours and a freezer for 1-2 days after power goes out. If you have a cooler with ice, employ it to preserve essential food over the first 24 hours of an outage.
Here’s what you should do if you need to leave during a blackout at your apartment in Westfield:
- Switch off any devices that may have been operating
- Encourage neighbors to let you know when power is back on
- Look for downed electrical lines as you exit and call the power company to report them
What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Westfield
If you reside close to a flood zone or river, you could experience a flood after severe storms or if a dam is breached. Watch the news for updates and heed any orders for evacuation. If an evacuation is issued, follow these steps:
- Disconnect all dry electrical devices.
- Rapidly collect the basics or grab an emergency go-bag.
- Move essentials and precious items to elevated spots.
- Evacuate to a secure location on higher ground.
- Never drive through flooded areas or wade into flowing water.
In a worst-case scenario during flash flooding, do everything necessary to get up to the uppermost floor of your building or the rooftop.
How To React To An Earthquake In Your Apartment
Although the Midwest isn’t a hotbed for earthquakes, we experience a bit of rattling on occasion! It doesn’t hurt to know what to do if you have an earthquake in your apartment in Westfield, just in case.
To make your home more equipped to handle an earthquake, place larger and heavier possessions on lower shelves. Avoid hanging anything weighty above couches or beds. Secure tall furniture like bookshelves to walls.
If you detect the beginning rattles of an earthquake, go to your knees and crawl to a door frame, next to an interior wall or below a heavy piece of furniture. Stay clear of windows, exterior doors, light fixtures, or anything that might fall. Protect your head with one hand and grab onto something secure with the other. If it’s possible to reach a pillow, get it over your head.
Once it appears the quake has ended, check yourself and others for injuries. Tune in to local media for guidance and ready yourself for aftershocks. Check your nearby surroundings for dangers like fire, downed power lines, or gas leaks. Put out fires and turn off the power or gas if you you can do so without risk. If you spot building damage, evacuate as safely and swiftly as possible.
Other Emergency Preparedness Suggestions For Apartment Residents In Westfield
Disasters can strike at any time. A few extra suggestions can help you deal with the unexpected and stay safe:
- Rely on neighbors. Get to know others in your building so you know who else might be home if disaster strikes. Chat about what supplies, safe shelter locations, or skills you can share in emergencies.
- Always carry renters’ insurance.
- Avoid using an elevator to evacuate during a dangerous situation.
- Have a secure location to bring pets if you need to evacuate to a temporary shelter.
- If a natural disaster makes your building uninhabitable, await communication from property employees before returning.
- Utilize a portable radio or mobile phone to locate local resources if you need to evacuate.
Your Comfort And Safety Matter At Ashley Place Apartments
We can’t change the weather, but we can offer you an exceptional apartment experience in Westfield! Ashley Place Apartments is known for our popular amenities, great location, open floor plans, and friendly employees. Arrange a tour today and talk with one of our leasing agents about making Ashley Place your new home.