Your Guide To Emergency Preparedness For Apartment Dwellers In Bloomington

Residing in an apartment, you take simple safety precautions daily, like locking your door when you depart. But you might not give as much thought to larger-scale risks like natural disasters. Fire, storms, and more may happen with hardly any warning and cause widespread devastation. While apartments are made to stand up to environmental forces, you still must take precautions. Consult this guide to discover more about emergency preparedness for apartment dwellers in Bloomington and be ready for any urgent event. 

Be Prepared For Any Crisis With An Apartment Emergency Kit

Whether you need to shelter in place or evacuate rapidly, having a well-stocked apartment emergency kit in your Bloomington unit will make any emergency easier to manage. Determine a spot in your apartment to stow a go-bag and other emergency supplies like the following: 

• Flashlights

• Spare batteries 

• Weather radio 

• Vital medications and first aid kit 

• Wireless phone charger or power bank 

• Water and shelf-stabe, cookless food for three days

• Sturdy shoes and extra clothes 

• Child necessities

• Pet food and supplies 

• Extra blankets

• Photocopies of important documents in a plastic bag 

How To Be Prepared For An Apartment Fire In Bloomington

With a great number of Residents in the same building, apartment fires can become especially deadly. Being prepared improves your probability of coming out unscathed. 

Your community maintenance professionals should confirm that smoke detectors and fire extinguishers work in each apartment. Do not disconnect or tamper with these. Follow community fire guidelines and abstain from using open flames inside. Don’t store things in hallways that could injure people during an evacuation. Have an escape plan for everybody in your apartment.

If a small fire starts in your apartment, adhere to basic guidelines for extinguishing it with a fire extinguisher or water. When faced with a grease fire, employ the extinguisher, salt, or baking soda. 

Evacuate right away if a fire spreads. Depart using the stairs and the nearest exit and distance yourself from the building before you call 911. Avoid propping open doors; they will let in drafts that intesify the fire. Avoid going back in to save things or others. 

How To Stay Protected In Your Apartment During A Strong Storm

The Midwest often gets a great many tornadoes each year. Powerful winds and fierce thunderstorms can also be dangerous. You probably learned in school to shelter in a basement, but what should you do during a tornado in an apartment in Bloomington?

The safest spots for apartment Residents are

• The lowest floor of an underground parking garage

• The first floor of your building, and away 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

• Inside the bathtub with a heavy blanket to help protect from debris 

Put a bicycle helmet, construction hat, or pillow on your head. Avoid standing next to windows or beside hefty objects that could topple onto you.

If your building suffers serious damage from heavy storms, evacuate as cautiously as you can. As you exit, watch out for gas leaks and toppled power lines. Drive or walk to a safe location. 

Staying Safe In Your Apartment During Winter Weather

Winter storms can swiftly turn a winter wonderland into a treacherous situation. Pay attention to weather forecasts regularly and be ready for inclement weather before it comes. Don’t panic, but stock up on essential items before a blizzard strikes and have a strategy for keeping warm in your apartment. Keep water dripping from faucets to minimize the risk of frozen pipes. 

Call your emergency maintenance hotline right away if you experience a burst pipe or your furnace stops working during freezing temperatures. If you lose heat and power during a snow or ice storm, follow these guidelines:

• Stay indoors

• Put on layers of warm apparel and cover yourself in blankets

• Keep close watch of susceptible individuals for frostbite or hypothermia

Never use fuel-consuming appliances in your apartment to keep yourself warm. They release toxic gases that collect inside.

Dealing With A Power Outage At Your Apartment In Bloomington

Everyone encounters a power outage occasionally. In most cases, your local utility company will restore power within two or three hours. With that being said, a large enough natural disaster might leave you without electricity for days or possibly weeks.

Your disaster supplies can help you get through a power outage. Even so, circumstances can become hazardous if you lack heat or AC during severe temperatures. In this case, frail individuals should move to a building with power.

Adhere To These Food Safety And Cooking Recommendations

Beware of spoiled food. When your power is out, avoid opening your refrigerator and freezer. Generally, food remains safe in a closed refrigerator for up to 4 hours and a freezer for 1-2 days after power goes out. If you have a cooler and ice, employ it to maintain essential food over the first day of a blackout.

Here’s what you can do if you need to leave during a power outage at your apartment in Bloomington:

• Shut off anything that may have been running

• Encourage neighbors to notify you when power is restored 

• Be alert to downed electrical lines as you depart and call the utility company to report any

What To Do If Your Apartment Floods In Bloomington

If you are located near a river or flood zone, you could experience a flood after heavy rain or if a dam is breached. Watch the news for updates and follow issued warnings. If an evacuation is issued, take these steps:

1. Unplug all electrical components that are still dry.
2. Quickly gather the basics or retrieve your emergency go-bag.
3. Move items you want to save to higher locations.
4. Proceed to a safe locale on higher ground.
5. Never drive over submerged streets or wade into moving water.

In a dire situation during flash flooding, do everything necessary to make your way to the top story of your building or the rooftop.

How To React To An Earthquake In Your Apartment 

While the Midwest isn’t a hotspot for earthquakes, you might feel a little shake from time to time! It’s smart to know what to do if you experience an earthquake in your apartment in Bloomington, just to be safe.

To make your unit more earthquake ready, store large or heavy items on the lowest shelves. Avoid hanging anything substantial over couches or beds. Secure tall pieces like bookshelves to walls.

When you notice the beginning rumbles of an earthquake, get to your knees and crawl to a door frame, below a solid table, or next to an interior wall. Stay away from windows, exterior doors, light fixtures, or anything that could fall. Protect your head with one hand and hold onto something stable with the other. If you can reach a pillow, get it over your head.

Once it appears the trembling has ceased, assess yourself and others for injuries. Listen to the local news for guidance and ready yourself for aftershocks. Check your immediate surroundings for threats like fire, toppled electrical lines, or gas leaks. Put out fires and disable the power or gas if you you can do so without risk. If there is visible building damage, evacuate as cautiously and rapidly as possible.

Other Emergency Preparedness Tips For Apartment Residents In Bloomington

Disasters can arise at any second. A few additional tips can help you manage the unforeseen and remain safe:

• Collaborate with neighbors. Get acquainted with those in your building so you know who might be around if disaster strikes. Talk about what supplies, safe shelter spots, or skills you can share in emergencies. 

• Make sure you have renters’ insurance. 

• Do not use an elevator to evacuate during a crisis.

• Have a safe place to bring pets if you have to evacuate to a temporary shelter. 

• If an emergency makes your building unlivable, don’t come back until you are sent an update from property staff. 

• Use a handheld radio or smartphone to find local resources if you must evacuate. 

Your Comfort And Safety Matter At City Flats at Renwick

We can’t control the weather, but we can provide you an outstanding apartment experience in Bloomington! City Flats at Renwick is noted for our terrific location, popular amenities, roomy floor plans, and responsive team. Arrange a tour today and talk to one of our leasing specialists about making City Flats at Renwick your new home.