Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Greenwood
When you live in an apartment, you follow simple safety measures daily, like locking up when you leave. But you might not give as much consideration to more significant hazards like natural disasters. Fires, tornadoes, and more can happen with minimal warning and result in a chaotic situation. While apartment buildings are made to withstand environmental forces, you still have to take precautions. Consult this guide to find out more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Greenwood and gain confidence in your ability to navigate any crisis.
Get Ready For Anything With An Apartment Emergency Kit
If you need to take cover or evacuate quickly, having a well-prepared apartment emergency kit in your Greenwood home will make any urgent event more manageable. Determine an area in your apartment to keep a go-bag and other emergency supplies like the following:
- Flashlights
- Spare batteries
- Weather radio
- First aid kit and vital medications
- Wireless phone charger or power bank
- Shelf-stable, cookless food and water for three days
- Sturdy shoes and extra clothes
- Children's supplies
- Extra blankets
- Copies of important documents in a waterproof bag
How To Be Prepared For An Apartment Fire In Greenwood
With a great number of Residents in a single structure, apartment fires can become extremely hazardous. Being ready improves your odds of coming out unscathed.
Your property maintenance professionals should confirm that fire extinguishers and smoke detectors are operational in all apartments. Do not disable these. Follow community fire rules and avoid using open flames indoors. Avoid keeping belongings in hallways that may trip people during an evacuation. Design an exit strategy for your household.
If a minor fire starts in your apartment, comply with recommended guidelines for extinguishing it with a fire extinguisher or water. When encountering, employ baking soda, the extinguisher, or salt.
Evacuate right away if a fire spreads. Depart using the stairs and the closest exit and move away from the building before you call 911. Avoid propping open doors; they will bring in drafts that help spread fire. Refrain from going back inside to save possessions or other Residents.
How To Shelter In Your Apartment During A Dangerous Storm
The Midwest often gets dozens of tornadoes each year. Severe thunderstorms and strong winds can also be life-threatening. You may have learned in school to seek shelter in a basement, but what can you do during a tornado in an apartment in Greenwood?
The safest spots for apartment ocupants are
- The bottom floor of an underground parking garage
- The ground floor of your building, and a safe distance from windows
- A bottom-floor neighbor’s apartment
- Interior stairwells or halls without windows
- An interior room or closet of your apartment
- Under a solid table
- In the bathtub with a thick blanket for protection
Put a bicycle helmet, construction hat, or pillow on your head. Never stand close to windows or beside hefty objects that could fall on top of you.
If your building suffers serious damage from a storm, evacuate as carefully as you can. As you depart, watch out for toppled power lines and gas leaks. Drive or walk to a safe place.
Staying Safe In Your Apartment During Winter Weather
Winter storms can turn an enchanting winter’s day into a dangerious situation quickly. Pay attention to weather forecasts throughout the season and be prepared for inclement weather before it strikes. Don’t get stressed out, but collect essential items before a winter storm strikes and make a plan for keepin comfortable in your apartment. Keep water dripping from faucets to help prevent pipes from freezing.
Call your emergency maintenance hotline promptly if you have a burst pipe or your furnace fails during cold weather. If you lose power and heat during an ice or snow storm, adhere to these tips:
- Stay indoors
- Put on layers of warm clothing and bundle up in blankets
- Monitor vulnerable individuals for hypothermia or frostbite
Never use fuel-consuming appliances within your apartment to keep yourself warm. They give off dangerous gases that build up inside.
Surviving A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Greenwood
We all encounter a power outage on occasion. Under most circumstances, your local power company will reconnect your power within two or three hours. However, a major natural disaster can leave you with no power for days or possibly weeks.
Your emergency kit can help you survive a power outage. However, conditions can become hazardous if you are without heat or AC during harsh temperatures. In this case, vulnerable individuals should relocate to somewhere with power.
Abide By These Food Safety And Cooking Recommendations
be cautious about unsafe food. When losing power, resist opening your fridge and freezer. Typically, food stays safe in a shut refrigerator for around 4 hours and a freezer for 24-48 hours after a power failure. If you can find a cooler with ice, utilize it to preserve essential food throughout the initial day of an outage.
Follow these guidelines if you need to leave during a power outage at your apartment in Greenwood:
- Turn off any appliances that might have been on
- Encourage neighbors to let you know when power is back on
- Watch for downed utility lines as you exit and notify the utility company to report any
What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Greenwood
If you live near a river or flood zone, you could encounter flooding after heavy rain or if a dam fails. Watch for news alerts and follow evacuation orders. If you must evacuate, take these steps:
- Disconnect all dry electrical components.
- Rapidly gather the basics or grab an emergency go-bag.
- Move belongings you wish to save to elevated areas.
- Move to a secure location on higher ground.
- Avoid driving through flooded areas or walk into moving water.
In a worst-case scenario during heavy flooding, do everything necessary to retreat to the top story of your building or the roof.
How To React To An Earthquake In Your Apartment
Even though the Midwest isn’t a hotbed for earthquakes, you might feel a bit of rattling on occasion! It’s a good idea to know what to do if you feel an earthquake in your apartment in Greenwood, just to be safe.
To make your home more prepared for an earthquake, place larger and heavier belongings on bottom shelves. Don’t hang anything weighty above your bed or seating. Anchor tall pieces like bookshelves to walls.
As soon as you detect the beginning rumbles of an earthquake, go to the ground and make your way to a door frame, next to an interior wall or below a sturdy piece of furniture. Stay away from windows, light fixtures, exterior doors, or anything that could fall. Shield your head with one hand and grab onto something secure with the other. If you’re able to reach a pillow, place it on top of your head.
Once you feel the trembling has ceased, assess yourself and other occupants for injuries. Listen to local news outlets for guidance and brace yourself for aftershocks. Check your nearby surroundings for threats like downed power lines, fires, or gas leaks. Put out fires and disable the power or gas if you it’s possible to do so without risk. If there is visible damage to your building, evacuate as cautiously and quickly as possible.
Extra Emergency Preparedness Tips For Apartment Residents In Greenwood
Disasters can occur at any moment. A few extra tips can help you deal with the unexpected and stay protected:
- Connect with neighbors. Get acquainted with others in your building so you’re aware who else might be around if a crisis unfolds. Chat about what supplies, safe shelter spots, or expertise you can share in urgent situations.
- Always carry renters’ insurance.
- Avoid using an elevator for evacuation during a dangerous situation.
- Arrange a safe spot to bring pets if you must evacuate to a temporary shelter.
- If an emergency leaves your building unsafe, don’t re-enter until you get a communication from property management.
- Utilize a portable radio or smartphone to discover local resources if you need to evacuate.
Your Comfort And Safety Come First At Bayshore Apartments
We can’t change the weather, but we can provide you an incredible apartment living experience in Greenwood! Bayshore Apartments is known for our sought-after amenities, terrific location, spacious floor plans, and responsive team. Take a tour today and speak with one of our leasing agents about making Bayshore your next home.