Learn ways to prepare your indoor environment for:
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Extreme Heat – It’s not only uncomfortable but can be dangerous!
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Power Outage – Exposure to carbon monoxide can be dangerous! Learn how to safely use a fuel-powered portable generator for lighting and cooking.
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Wildfire Smoke – Create a clean room in your home to reduce your family’s exposure.
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Flooding – It can cause mold to grow in your home. Be prepared to safely clean your home.
Extreme Heat and Power Outages: Know How to Stay Cool
Extreme heat can be especially dangerous for older adults (age 65+), infants and children, and others at higher risk. Learn how to stay cool so you’re ready the next time extreme heat affects your area.
TIPS:
- Use ventilation and shading strategies to help control indoor temperatures.
- Use air conditioners or spend time in air-conditioned locations such as designated cooling zones, malls and libraries.
- Use portable electric fans to exhaust hot air from rooms or draw in cooler air. Do not direct fans toward yourself when the room temperature is hotter than 90°F.
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Prevent heat-related illness:
Before you lose power:
- Learn how to safely use a portable generator to avoid exposure to carbon monoxide and other harmful chemicals.
- Always keep generators at least 20 feet away from any homes or air intakes.
- Make sure your home is equipped with one or more functioning carbon monoxide alarms, as carbon monoxide poisoning can be fatal.
TIP:
If you need to provide emergency power, NEVER use portable generators indoors! Place them outside and at least 20 feet from buildings.
Wildfires: Create a Clean Room to Protect from Wildfire Smoke
A clean room can help protect those at greater risk from the effects of wildfire smoke, including children, older adults, and people with heart disease or breathing problems. Learn more about how to create a clean room in your home to make sure you have everything you need before smoke arrives!
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Choose a room. It should be big enough to fit everyone in your household and comfortable to spend time in. A bedroom with an attached bathroom, for example, is a good choice because you can close it off from the rest of the house and keep the door closed for long periods of time.
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Prevent smoke from entering the room. Close all windows and doors in the room, but don’t do anything that makes it hard to get out. If there is an exhaust fan or range hood in the clean room space, only use it for short periods.
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Stay cool. Run fans, window air conditioners, or central air conditioning. If your HVAC system or window air conditioner has a fresh air option (meaning it pulls in air from the outside), turn it off, close the intake, or set the system to recirculate mode. Avoid using an evaporative cooler or portable air conditioner with a single hose in smoky conditions unless there is a heat emergency. Using these devices can result in more smoke being brought inside.
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Filter the air in the room. Use a portable air cleaner that is the right size for the room. Run the portable air cleaner continuously on the highest fan setting if you can. If portable air cleaners are not available or affordable, learn how to make your own DIY air cleaner. If you have central HVAC, install a high-efficiency filter (MERV 13 or higher) if your system can accommodate it. Run the system’s fan as often as possible.
TIP:
Remember to check and replace air filters frequently!
Learn more about what you can do now to protect your family from wildfire smoke.
Floods: Be Prepared for Safe Cleanup
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If you live in an area where flood risk is high, learn how to clean your home after a flood to protect your family’s health. Older adults, children and people with existing health conditions should not help with cleanup.
TIP:
Plan ahead and add the following items to your preparedness supplies – these may be hard to find immediately after a disaster:
- N-95 respirator
- Protective goggles
- Long-sleeve shirts
- Long pants
- Protective gloves
- Boots or work shoes
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Check out EPA’s Flooded Homes website for step-by-step guidance and videos for safely cleaning up your home and recovering from a flood.
Family Emergency Supply Kit
Consider preparing a family emergency supply kit that includes some essentials that you may need when disaster strikes.
A basic kit may include:
- Canned food
- Water
- Essential medications
- First aid supplies
- An alternative light source
- Other items
Find more tips to prepare your family emergency supply kit.
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