How to Navigate an Emergency or Power Outage in an Apartment Building

How to navigate an emergency or power outages in an apartment building

No matter where you live - it is important to be prepared for an emergency. PG&E recognizes that dealing with emergencies and outages can vary with different living situations.Here are some things that our customers in apartments can do to prepare for and navigate an outage or emergency. 

How to Prepare for an Emergency: Assemble your emergency supply kit with 3–5 days of food and water in case you are forced to shelter-in-place in your building without electricity or running water. Keep your emergency supply kit fully stocked and by the door. If you can, leave additional kits at work and in the trunk of your car. 

Be sure your home is equipped with a fire extinguisher with the appropriate grade like trash and wood (A), liquid or grease (B) or electrical equipment (C), and make sure it is the correct size for the location. Also, check extinguisher gauges monthly to make sure they remain charged.Find out what your building management’s plan is for an emergency or outage. Do they have backup power? Do they have instructions they’d like you to follow? Save the building manager’s number so you are able to reach them before and during an emergency. 

Check in with your neighbors. Which people on your floor or in your building need extra assistance in the event of an emergency? This may include needing power for medical devices, help exiting the building in case you need to relocate, or rides to Community Resource Centers. Plan out at least two emergency exit routes from your building (in case one is blocked). Don’t block windows or doors leading to fire escapes. You will also need a route into and out of the building in the event that garage doors and key cards do not work.

Find out if your elevator will work during an outage. Most elevators have safe shutdown mechanisms through which you will be able to finish your trip and exit, and some may maintain limited emergency use. Check to see how your building’s elevators operate in outages and emergency situations and plan accordingly. Develop an emergency plan with every member of your household (including pets), and be sure to practice your plan.

Use PG&E’s address lookup tool to see if your location is being monitored for potential PSPS events at: www.pge.com/pspsupdates. 

What to do During a Power Outage:Keep your fridge and freezer closed to keep food cool. Refrigerators can safely store food and keep items cold for about four hours. Freezers can keep their temperature for about two days if unopened. Dry ice or blocks of regular ice can help store food. Coolers can also be used to store other essentials like medications during a power outage.

Unplug your electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Never attempt to set up a portable generator inside your apartment building. There are hundreds of carbon monoxide deaths every year caused from the misuse of generators.

To learn more ways to prepare for an outage or other emergency, visit readyforwildfire.org.