Urban Survival: How to Handle City Emergencies at Home

This page covers what to do when a city emergency hits your home. For personal skills like getting home on foot and finding water in your building, read Essential Urban Survival Skills.

Power outages

Outages are the most common city emergency. In a tall building, they can also mean no elevator, no water pressure and no air conditioning.

Prepare now

Ready.gov advises:

• Have flashlights with extra batteries for every person.
• Install carbon monoxide (CO) detectors with battery backup on every level of your home.
• Keep phones charged and car gas tanks full.
• Plan ahead for medicines that need cold storage and for medical devices that need power.

During the outage

1. Use flashlights for light.
2. Keep the fridge and freezer closed.
3. Unplug appliances and electronics to avoid damage from power surges.
4. Never use a gas stove or oven to heat your home.
5. Run generators, camp stoves and charcoal grills only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows.
6. Check on your neighbors.
7. If it’s very hot or cold, go to a place that has power.

Food and medicine

Ready.gov gives these food safety numbers:

Item	How long it stays safe
Refrigerator (closed)	About 4 hours
Full freezer (closed)	About 48 hours
Food at 40°F or higher	Throw out after 2 hours or more

Use a thermometer to check the fridge. If the power is out for more than a day, Ready.gov says to throw out medicine that should be refrigerated. Ask your pharmacist about replacements.

Sheltering in place in an apartment

Officials may tell you to stay inside during a chemical spill or other hazard outdoors. FEMA’s shelter-in-place guidance for a chemical hazard says:

1. Go inside as quickly as possible. Bring pets in.
2. Lock all doors and windows for a better seal.
3. Turn off heating, air conditioning and fans. Close the fireplace damper.
4. Go to an interior room without windows, if you have one.
5. Seal the room’s doors and windows with plastic and duct tape. Cover vents and tape over outlets.
6. Do not drink tap water. Use stored water.
7. Listen for updates from local officials.

Keep a roll of duct tape and plastic sheeting in your apartment. Pre-cut the plastic to fit your chosen room.

High-rise fire

Learn your building’s escape routes before you need them. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) gives these steps.

Plan ahead

• Know where all the exit stairs in your building are.
• Walk the route to each stairwell once, so you know it in the dark.

If you need to get out

1. Use the stairs to get out.
2. Do not use the elevator unless the fire department tells you to.
3. Close the door behind you as you leave.

If fire or smoke blocks your exit

The USFA advises staying in your unit. This also applies if you have a disability that makes the stairs unsafe.

1. Stuff wet towels or sheets around the door and vents to keep smoke out.
2. Call 911 and tell them exactly where you are.
3. Stay on the phone so firefighters can find you.
4. Open a window slightly and hang a bright cloth outside to show your location.

The Texas Department of Insurance advises trapped people to be ready to wait at least one hour for rescue. Keep water and your phone charger near your safe room.

See Fire Safety and Preparedness for smoke alarms and home escape plans.

Heat waves

Heat waves are dangerous in apartments without air conditioning. The CDC and Ready.gov advise:

• Go to an air-conditioned place. Your local health department can tell you where cooling centers are.
• Malls and public libraries also help. The CDC says even a few hours in air conditioning can help.
• Don’t rely on a fan as your main cooling. Ready.gov says fans do not lower body temperature or prevent heat illness.
• Take cool showers or baths.
• Drink more water than usual. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty.
• Never leave people or pets in a closed car.
• Use a buddy system. Check on a neighbor, and have someone check on you.

Know the danger signs

Condition	Signs (from Ready.gov)	What to do
Heat exhaustion	Heavy sweating, paleness, cramps, weakness, fast or weak pulse, dizziness, headache, nausea	Move somewhere cooler, remove extra clothing, sip water or a sports drink. Call a doctor if it gets worse or lasts over an hour.
Heat stroke	Body temperature above 103°F, red hot dry skin, fast strong pulse, confusion	Call 911. Move the person to a cool, shaded place. Put cold wet cloths or ice packs on the head, neck, armpits and groin.

This guide is general information, not medical training. Call 911 in an emergency, and take a hands-on first aid class from the Red Cross or AHA.

Water outages and boil-water advisories

A broken main or a storm can cut your water or make it unsafe.

The CDC advises storing at least 1 gallon of water per person per day, for at least 3 days. A 2-week supply is better if you can store it. Replace stored tap water every 6 months.

If officials issue a boil-water advisory, the CDC says:

1. Bring clear water to a rolling boil for 1 minute.
2. Above 6,500 feet, boil for 3 minutes.
3. Remember that boiling does not remove chemicals. Follow local instructions.

For more methods, see How to Purify Water in an Emergency.

Staying informed

Wireless Emergency Alerts

Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) look like text messages, with a special sound and vibration. They are free, and you don’t need to sign up. Each alert is limited to 360 characters.

The National Weather Service uses WEA for tornado, flash flood, hurricane, tsunami and other urgent warnings. When you get one, take the action it says. Then check local TV, radio or NOAA Weather Radio for details.

Check your phone’s settings to make sure emergency alerts are turned on.

Other ways to get updates

• Sign up for your city or county alert system.
• Keep a battery-powered or hand-crank radio.
• Follow your local emergency management office.

Know your neighbors

In a city, the people on your floor are your fastest help. Ready.gov and the CDC both advise checking on neighbors during outages and heat.

• Learn the names of people on your floor.
• Know who is older, lives alone or uses medical equipment.
• Swap phone numbers with two or three neighbors.
• Agree to knock on each other’s doors after a storm or outage.

Apartment readiness checklist

• Flashlight and spare batteries for each person
• CO detector with battery backup on each level
• Water: 1 gallon per person per day, at least 3 days
• Fridge thermometer
• Duct tape and plastic sheeting for sheltering in place
• Wet-towel kit by the door: two old towels
• Exit stair routes walked and known
• Emergency alerts turned on in phone settings
• Battery or hand-crank radio
• Phone numbers for two or three neighbors
• List of nearby cooling centers

Next, build your household plan with Creating a Family Emergency Plan.

Related guides

• Power Outage Survival Guide: Before, During and After
• 6 Urban Survival Skills to Learn Before a City Emergency

Sources

• Power Outages (archived copy) — Ready.gov
• Extreme Heat — Ready.gov
• Wireless Emergency Alerts Fact Sheet (PDF) — Ready.gov / FEMA
• Shelter-in-Place for Chemical Hazard (PDF) — FEMA
• High-Rise Apartment and Condominium Fire Safety (PDF) — U.S. Fire Administration
• High-Rise Building Evacuations Fact Sheet (PDF) — Texas Department of Insurance
• Heat and People without Air Conditioning — CDC
• How to Create an Emergency Water Supply — CDC
• Boil Water Advisory — CDC
• Wireless Emergency Alerts (PDF) — National Weather Service