Don’t panic! The chances of getting caught up in an emergency are small. But it’s still a good idea to think about what you would do if you were involved.
Emergencies can really disrupt our daily lives. We can’t usually stop them from happening, but we can plan ahead to minimise the impact.
Get ready for the unexpected brochure
This guide outlines simple steps you can take to prepare for an emergency. A few minutes thinking about it now could make a big difference in helping to keep you and your family safe.
Preparing for the unexpected
Insurance advice
- Being insured is critical in almost all emergencies. Check your home and contents are adequately insured for emergencies like flooding.
- You should take out insurance to protect your contents and if you are a home owner make sure you have cover for your buildings.
- If you are a tenant check your landlord has landlord’s insurance and ask your insurance company about Tenant’s Insurance.
- Check the small print of your insurance to make sure it gives you adequate insurance. For example, will your insurance provider arrange for alternative accommodation if you have to leave your home because of an emergency? Make sure you are covered for the right amount – be careful not to under insure. If you don’t understand the cover you have, talk to your insurer. Alternatively, talk to an insurance broker who will be able to explain cover and help to obtain other quotes for you.
- Keep your insurance documents in a safe place so that you know who to contact in the event of an emergency. If you can, add the details to the memory of your mobile phone.
- If you need to make a claim for valuables you may need to produce evidence so take photos of your valuables, keep receipts and keep backups of any electronic records.
Think about fire safety
You are twice as likely to die in a fire if you don’t have a smoke alarm that works. Think about fire safety in your home.
- Fit a smoke alarm to each level of your home and test it once a week – ask family or friends for help if necessary.
- Fit a carbon monoxide alarm.
- Choose an escape route from your home and practice it with your family.
- The best escape route is often the normal way in and out of your home.
- Think of any difficulties you may have getting out, for example, at night you may need to have a torch to light your way.
- Choose a second escape route, in case the first one is blocked.
- Keep all exits clear of obstructions, like bicycles.
- If there are children, older or disabled people or pets, plan how you will get them out.
- Think about a safe place to go if you can’t escape – ideally a room with a window and phone.
- Make sure everyone is the house knows where door and window keys are kept.
- To help prevent fires occurring through the night, it’s important to check your home for fire hazards before you go to bed. Prepare a bed time routine to make sure you:
- Check the cooker is turned off.
- Turn off and unplug electrical appliances (unless they are meant to be left on, like your freezer).
- Put candles and cigarettes out properly.
- Turn heaters off and put up fireguards.
- Make sure exits are kept clear.
- Close inside doors at night to stop a fire spreading.
- Sign up to vulnerable customer schemes.
Essential Services
Water, electric and gas are essential services. Check if you or a member of your family is eligible for special care during an interruption.
Schemes are often available to a wide range of customers, from nursing mothers to kidney dialysis patients; customers who have sight or hearing difficulties to those who are frail and elderly or classed as disabled.
Registration is free, and family and friends can often sign up on your behalf.
Contact the providers using the information below and sign up to their vulnerable customers scheme.
Water
Anglian Water
Telephone: 08457 919155
Yorkshire Water
Telephone: 0800 138 7878
Severn Trent Water
Telephone: 08457 500 500
Gas and Electric
Northern Powergrid
Telephone: 0800 375 675 / 0330 123 0675
Tele-care alarm monitoring
For a small charge you can get a range of non-intrusive sensors fitted in your home that can help you stay independent. Examples include monitors that will tell a control centre if:
- If you fall.
- If temperatures fall or rise rapidly in your home.
- If smoke is detected.
- If carbon monoxide is detected.
- If there is a flood in your bathroom.
- If you have a n epileptic seizure in bed.
- Equipment also available includes:
- discreet personal alarms that you can wear so you can call for assistance from anywhere in your home.
- light switch sensors to turn a light on if you get out of bed.
Contact your local authority for more information
Know how to respond
Know how to call 999 but only use it in an emergency.
Never be frightened to dial 999 in a genuine emergency. Calls to 999 are free so you can make a call on a payphone or mobile without money or credit.
Your 999 call will be answered by an operator who will say “Emergency, which service do you require?” You will be put through to the emergency service that you require and you will hear the telephone number you are calling from being repeated. A highly trained control operator will ask how they can help.
Try to stay calm, not to shout and to pass out information slowly and clearly. Stay on the line even if you hear sirens close by. They may not be coming to you.
If you call when it’s dark, switch all your house lights on so the emergency services can spot where you are. Make sure your house number is on the end of a long drive and clear on your front door.
If you dial 999 for a problem that isn’t a genuine emergency you could be putting the lives of others at risk. In an emergency seconds count. Unnecessary calls waste time which could have been spent helping those who need it most. For non-emergencies you can dial 101 for Police non emergencies or 111 for NHS medical advice.