Prepare Your Home for an Emergency

  • Have your home inspected for fire and building codes.
  • Repair poor wiring and large cracks in plaster.
  • Buy disaster insurance to cover home and property. Ask your insurance company or local emergency authorities about the National Flood Insurance Program.
  • Keep important papers and photos of personal property in a safety deposit box.
  • Put easy-to-reach ABC fire extinguishers on every floor. Ask your Fire Department to train you. Check periodically.
  • Install smoke detectors outside each sleeping area, not in kitchens or bathrooms. Check and dust your smoke detectors once a month. Change smoke detector batteries yearly (a good time is when you adjust your clocks each fall).
  • Install a carbon monoxide (CO) detector. Maintain the CO detector according to manufacturer's instructions.
  • Buy flashlights, emergency lighting
    • Avoid candles (fire hazard)
  • Make your address visible from the street so fire trucks can find you.
  • Secure your water heater
  • Locate your home main water, electrical, and gas shut-offs - learn how and when to shut them off. Mark the shut-offs with brightly colored stickers or tape.