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If someone needs immediate help with home readiness, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Check your home for common hazards and fix problems before an emergency — smoke alarms, secure furniture, and utility shutoffs.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Test smoke alarm. Bolt heavy furniture. Know gas and power shutoffs. Clear exits.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — No working smoke alarm or last test was over a year ago.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Heavy cupboards, geysers, or AC units are not anchored to walls.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Most home injuries in earthquakes and storms come from falling furniture, not building collapse.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — FEMA and NDMA both stress smoke alarms and clear exits as the highest-impact low-cost fixes.
Check the scene before you approach.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Walk every room — identify the heaviest tall furniture near beds and sofas.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Press smoke alarm test button — if silent, replace battery today.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Draw a simple floor plan marking two exits from each room.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Label gas valve and electrical main switch — teach all adults how to turn off.
When and how to get professional help.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Fix obvious hazards yourself. Call a licensed electrician or plumber for gas and major electrical work.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Report gas leaks to your gas company emergency line and leave the area.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Fire department or 101 for persistent smoke smell or electrical burning odour.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Licensed professionals must repair gas lines and main electrical panels.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT block exits with storage boxes or locked grills without keys nearby.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT ignore a smell of gas — open windows, do not switch lights, call emergency gas helpline.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — New flats do not need readiness checks
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Unsecured furniture, missing smoke alarms, and blocked exits occur in all building types. NDMA recommends checks regardless of building age.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Falling wardrobe during earthquake or night fire without alarm.
What you can do before an emergency happens.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Complete room-by-room checklist before monsoon and festival season when cooking load rises.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Photograph shutoff locations for renters and share with household.
Other scenarios in the same family.
Disability prep
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Plan for wheelchair users, blind, deaf, and neurodiverse family members so emergencies do not cut access to mobility, communication, or medicine.
Earthquake prep
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Prepare your home and family for earthquakes — secure furniture, know drop-cover-hold, and plan for aftershocks.
Elderly prep
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Help elderly family members prepare for emergencies when mobility, memory, or chronic illness makes evacuation harder.
Heat prep
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Prepare for extreme heat — stay hydrated, keep home cool, and protect elderly, children, and outdoor workers.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Structural cracks wider than a coin after earthquake need engineer inspection.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Closing all windows prevents earthquake damage
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Drop, cover, and hold during shaking. Securing furniture and knowing shutoffs matter more than window position.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Standing at windows instead of taking cover.