Apartment Safety

There are special dangers involved with apartment house living.

 This is since you live so close to several other folks.

 Their dealings can jeopardize your safety and so it’s very essential for you to be aware of what you have to do to safeguard yourself, your household and your belongings.

Fire Safety . . .

Fire is perhaps the utmost danger in apartment buildings. With so many units tied together, it doesn’t take long for fire to expand from one to another. The following guidelines are important to your safety:

• Install smoke detectors in the kitchen, all bedrooms, the laundry area and hallways. You have got to test them each month and change the batteries every 6 months. They won’t do you any good if they aren’t in working order.

• Keep fire extinguishers at hand in the kitchen, laundry area and close to your outside grill.

• Develop an escape plan. This plan must include two ways of exiting – in most cases, this will probably include the main door and either a window or door wall. If you live on a upper floor and don’t have access to a fire escape, acquire a rope ladder to use for exiting from windows or a balcony. Practice your escape design consistently so each member of your family knows exactly what to carry out in case of fire.

• By no means use an elevator during a fire.

• In no way park in front of fire hydrants or in fire lanes and make sure your guests don’t either.

General Safety . . .

Fire isn’t the lone danger in an apartment building. You should as well be aware of hazards that can exist no matter where you live and take precautions to prevent them.

• Install a carbon monoxide detector.

• Install screen guards or window stops and doorstops on your patio door to shield your children from falling.

• Keep your apartment and building number near the telephone so your family or babysitter can access it in case of an emergency. Remember that memories can fail during emergencies.

• Make certain your apartment number is noticeably marked on your door.

• Be positive that every person in your family unit knows how to dial 911.

Defending from Intruders . . .

There are several people coming and going in an apartment complex. Criminals count on this anonymity. That makes it very crucial to get to know the other tenants. After you do, not just are you better able to identify someone who doesn’t belong, it as well makes it more likely that tenants will look out on behalf of one another.

• Consider forming an “apartment watch”. This is comparable to a neighborhood watch but confined to your apartment house complex. If a group of tenants is on the alert for suspicious behavior, they can prevent several problems from arising.

• Install quality deadbolt locks on your entrance and place a wooden pole or steel brace on sliding doors. One caution about deadbolt locks – don’t obtain those that require a key. Taking part in an emergency, you won’t have time to search for the key.

• Make certain your landlord has installed good quality lighting in all stairways, hallways, and everyday areas like the laundry room.

• Make sure that if your building has a common access, the entry door locks so that only tenants can enter. On no account open that door for strangers.

If you keep to these guidelines, practice good common logic, and are alert to what’s going on around you, your apartment will provide a safe dwelling for you and your family.