Get prepared for the unexpected

Earlier this week, I got an unusual request from a previous client. They had major water damages in their home and, due to work requirements, were unable to wait for the plumber. “We’ll be there between 9 am and 5 pm. Yes, we understand this is an emergency.” If you’ve ever been in this situation, you can understand my client’s predicament. Luckily, my schedule allowed me to stay at their villa and wait for the plumber. Are you prepared for the unprepared?

Here my top tips to prepare for unexpected events:

Prepare for the unexpected

Consider the various surprises you can expect in your home. This may include fire, water, electrical and glass damage.

It could also mean accidents like poisoning, falls (ladder, shower), burns (cooking with hot oil), choking (swallowing toys), strangulation (curtain cords for children), drowning (in the swimming pool).

Depending on your area, it may also include earthquakes and extreme temperatures.

Take precautions

Each home is also host to quite a number of risks. These risks can differ substantially in their impact and you can take various precautions to reduce or even avoid them. Take some time out this weekend, get prepared and educate everyone living with you.

Fire

• Install smoke alarms in all rooms. Replace their batteries and check their working conditions twice a year.
• Have a fire blanket in your kitchen to quickly extinguish flames.
• Invest in fire extinguishers to be place on all floors.
• Don’t smoke in bed.
• Don’t leave candles unattended.
• Don’t try dry clothes near or over a fire or heater.

Water

• Check your water bill for peaks. They may hint at a water leak, not directly visible for you.
• Regularly clear and clean your drains and roof gutters.
• Fix any water drippings as soon as you see them.

Electrical

• Ensure your wiring is up to code.
• Get exposed wires fixed by a trained, certified electrician.
• Don’t overload your sockets.

Glass

• Use furniture safety glass.
• Don’t let children play near glass or even stand on glass tables.

Poisoning

• Keep cleaning materials and medicine out of reach of children and animals, potentially in a lockable cabinet.
• Only take the medicine prescribed for you, not that for other family members!
• Don’t grow plants or berries in your garden which may poisonous or can cause an allergic reaction.

Falls

• Equip your bath tub and shower with non-slippery tiles or mats.
• Install grab bars in the shower and bath tub.
• Keep cables tied together away from the floor where you’d walk along.

Burns

• Ensure the pots have a stable position to avoid them from losing their balance while cooking.
• Use both hands when removing a pot from the stove. Use an oven glove to avoid burning your fingers and dropping the pot.
• Check the water temperature before taking a bath. Don’t let your child take a bath unattended. Not only can they drown, they can also play with the hot faucet and obtain burns.

Chocking

• Use the age appropriate toys. Younger children may eat small pieces like LEGO bricks, ballons or figures.
• Eat sitting down. Not only does it help you control your portion inside as you’re mindfully eating, you also avoid the risk of stumbling and/or falling and thus choking.

Strangulations

• Avoid clothes with drawstrings (e.g. hoodies or jackets), which can get stuck when playing
• Tie up the cords for window curtains or blinds.

Drowning

• Never leave your children and other non-swimmers unattended in or near your pool.

Know your home

Find your main water valve and learn how to shut it off. Do you need special equipment to access it?

Know where your electric breakers which will turn off electricity in your home. If there’s a flooding, you don’t want to mix water and live electricity!

Learn how to use a fire blanket and/or an extinguisher. Courses are run by the producer of fire safety equipment, your local fire brigade and your community centre.

Identify ways to evacuate your home from all rooms. Find 2 escape routes. Consider how the routes will impact children, elderly people or anyone with disabilities.

Have regular maintenance conducted for your home. Your landlord may require you to use a specific provider or you may be able to chose one yourself. Ask your landlord if they’d reimburse you for these maintenance inspections if that’s not part of your lease.

Contact details for emergency providers

Have emergency phone numbers stored in your landline and mobile phone. Prepare everyone in your home for an emergency and show them how to make emergency phone calls. Recently, a news report showed how people called the local emergency number to order pizza. That’s not an emergency!

Emergencies are:

• Car accidents
• Fires
• Person’s life in danger
• A crime being committed

Be specific when describing your location to the emergency services. Give as clear directions as you can. Use landmarks or transfer your location’s GPS. Every minute counts!

Bring yourself and anyone else in your home in safety as you’re waiting for the emergency team. Depending on the emergency, you may have enough time to take an emergency kit with you. This kit could have been prepared in  advance and include your passport, some cash, a set of clothes and prescription medicine. It does not include your entire household.

Keep an electronic copy of your home insurance. Should you not be able to re-enter your home for some time, you can contact your insurer and understand whether alternative accommodation can be provided for a short-term. They can also advise you of any specific inspections required before you can make any claims.

Make sure that you’ve clearance from the emergency or maintenance crew before going back into your home.

As for my client, they were so happy when they came back from work, having had their water damage controlled and fixed. It was quite the amount of water and I’m so happy that it didn’t leave more marks than a few on the door frame.

Do you require a homesitter to ensure your emergency or maybe just maintenance crew can complete their job while you’re at work? Can’t afford to take another day off to handle an unexpected incident? Want to have peace of mind? Call me!

Until next time,
Agni