Disaster Preparedness Brought to you by your Local Strata Inspector

Disaster Preparedness brought to you by your Local Strata Inspector

For detached homes, but especially for Condo’s, (and Businesses):

Think about the last couple of month’s power blackouts, and our recent “Bump- in- the- Night” earthquake.

Mother Nature is awakening us as to how mean she can sometimes be.

How prepared are you for the next blackout or a major disaster where you may have to evacuate your home?

Blackout

 

A lot of people don’t think how different it can be for condo/ apartment residents. No elevators, possibly no hallway lights or stairwell lights to safely escape; unless you are prepared, it can be very dangerous.

When creating an emergency survival kit, think about what you might need if you were stranded or needed to evacuate your home for three to seven days. Prepare your kit well in advance. And keep it in an easily accessible location, so you can take essential items for you and each member of your family, if you must evacuate quickly.

There are several sites on the internet that can advise you on how and what to prepare.

  • Communicate where you will be. Contact someone outside the affected area to tell them where you will be for the duration of the event. Business owners should remind employees of your continuity plans; including information on how they will know if your facility is open for business once the active crisis has passed.
  • Discuss with your family your plans if you, or any of them are not home, when disaster first strikes.
  • Learn how to shut off all utilities. It is always a good idea to know how to turn off the gas, electricity and water in your home, if possible, in a Condo or place of business.
  • Learn the warning signs and alert signals for your area. Stay tuned to your local television or radio station for disaster-related information, and have a battery operated (or wind-up) radio on hand.
  • Collect emergency building materials. Depending on the type of disaster, you may want to consider having emergency materials on hand, such as plywood, sandbags and waterproof tarps.
  • Secure all outdoor objects or move them inside. Grills, patio furniture and flowerpots are common household items that can become airborne in high winds. Do not ever use grills inside or store propane tanks inside the home or garage. Business owners should also remember to secure outdoor signage, tables and other equipment to minimize  damage.
  • Keep your car fueled up. If you have an emergency generator, keep that fueled up as well, and always have spare fuel on hand that is stored in an approved container in a safe location outside
  • Be sure you have car chargers for your cell phone, smart phone and other portable devices. Having car chargers available can assist you in staying in communication if your electricity stays out for an extended period
  • Car charger

 

 

 

 

If there is a concern afterwards, you can contact your friendly Home/ Condo Inspector to check things out, for your peace of mind – such as gas leaks; dangerous electrical problems; and/or any other dangers within your home.


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