Being woken up during the night because of a disaster is the stuff of nightmares. But rather than something from the movies, your home is always at risk of fire, theft, flood, and more! From staying calm to listing the damage, here is how you can deal with midnight home disasters.
Have Emergency Numbers at Hand
When something occurs at night, such as a break-in, house fire or incoming flood, it is a shock. But the first thing you need is the right emergency numbers. Not all disasters can be dealt with by local authorities, such as police and fire services. So you will also need local services. For example, a burst pipe in your home is a private matter and will require an emergency plumber. Keep local numbers in an easy-to-reach place or store them on multiple electronic devices.
Stay Calm to Deal with midnight Home Disasters
The worst thing you can do is panic when something terrible happens. There may be others in the home who depend on you. For house fires alone, the figures reach around 34,000 per year in the UK, and these are awfully frightening, but staying calm helps you deal with a disaster:
- Check yourself for injury and ensure your health and fitness are okay.
- Focus on the goals of your disaster plan if you have one in place.
- Share how you feel with others, but try to keep a positive attitude.
Check on Other Family Members
Once you have ensured your health and mindset are okay, you are then in the position to help others. From electrical issues to flooding, disasters during the night can be terrifying. Any children or elderly people in your home are likely to need assistance. A family emergency plan that you practice is a valuable tool to avoid making a disaster worse. However, people can forget about this at the moment. Ensure any other family members can make it to safety.
Check for Risks of Midnight Home Disasters
When something like a flood or fire happens, there are often accompanying problems that come with them. At night, the risks can be made worse. For example, 61% of tornadoes occur at night, so managing midnight home damage becomes much more difficult due to services being limited and a lack of light. But you will need to check for other hazards before restoring your home after water damage, and you will also have to wait until morning for a full assessment.
Watch for wild animals
Fences and gates can be destroyed after some natural disasters, such as flooding and wildfires. So be aware that wild animals can gain access to your property and pose a further threat.
Be aware of structural damage
Water and fire can weaken the structural materials of a home, such as wood and plaster. Stay vigilant against these threats, visible by burning and cracks, and some even make sounds.
Inspect for water and gas leaks
Water and gas are hazardous. Water could contain harmful bacteria, so stay away from it if possible. If you smell gas, then evacuate the home in case of a potentially dangerous gas leak.
Make Sure Pets Are Okay
It is hard to put these out of your mind, but of course, other people come first. However, after everyone is accounted for and safe, you can begin to check your pets. Pets are like family for most people, and losing one during a disaster can be terrible. But animals behave differently than people, and of course, they don’t understand what is happening. So, while you can try to rescue a pet, don’t take unnecessary risks or put your other people’s lives in danger either.
List the Damage Caused by Midnight Home Disasters
This will be the last thing on your mind, but you can make good use of time waiting for help by listing the damage that has been caused. It is estimated that around 10% of insurance claims are bogus. This can help a claim but also gives responders a clear picture of what happened:
- Note the exact date and time that the disaster has occurred.
- Describe (without exaggerating) in as much detail as possible the extent of the damage.
- Gather specific model numbers of appliances damaged if you can.
Call the Insurance Providers
As mentioned, listing the damage that has been caused by a disaster can help with an insurance claim. However, it is also advantageous to call an insurance company as soon as possible. You may not have an accurate picture of all the damage before morning. However, your insurance provider will appreciate the heads up, and they can begin the process of assigning someone to the case. This will support your insurance claims after an assessment.
Summary
Access to relevant emergency numbers will help you deal with midnight home disasters as you await professional help. You can also stay safer by assessing your home for further water, gas or structural damage. Insurance claims will be supported by a comprehensive list of damage.