Knowing these common emergencies will help you avoid them or know what to do if it accidentally happens to you. Here are the most common emergencies that homeowners have experienced and how to deal with them:
- Power Outage -Every household should be prepared for a power outage by having candles, flashlights, matches, or lighters ready in an easily accessible place. Check out immediately if the power outage is just on your home or the whole street. If you are the only one experiencing it, check the breakers and see if it can be fixed by doing a reset. It could just be that your electrical system got overloaded. There’s also a possibility of a blown fuse that needs to be replaced. If you’re unable to fix it or everybody in your street is affected, you probably need to contact your power company. If it becomes a prolonged power outage with no definite time of restoration, one of your main concerns will be keeping your food cold. You don’t want your frozen goods to perish because of a power outage. Try to cook food that is close to its expiration date if you can find a way to do so safely and only open the fridge when necessary.
- Fire In The Kitchen -A quick-thinking response to a kitchen fire is necessary. You need to know what to do before a single small fire spreads throughout your house. If it is a grease fire, do not use water to try to extinguish it since that will make things worse. Instead, shut off the heat source, and pour salt or baking soda directly on the flames. You need to be cautious if you are using a fire extinguisher on a grease fire because it may spread the fire if you’re too close. Try to use it from a distance instead. It is important that the fire extinguisher is rated for use on grease fires. Lastly, if all else fails, don’t risk your life, but instead, just run to the exit and call 911 as soon as possible.
- Gas Leak – If you notice an unpleasant sulfur-like odor in your home, this is most likely natural gas leaking somewhere in your home. That could be your only warning since your carbon monoxide detector does not detect gas leaks, and neither does your fire alarm. Do not risk your household’s safety by ignoring these signs and immediately stop anything that could ignite the gas in the air. If you suspect a gas leak, immediately exit the house and call 911.
Prioritize the safety of your household by knowing the things you can do during emergencies or, even better, prevent them from happening altogether.
