Ultimate Home Emergencies Guide -- Table of Contents; How to Use this Guide

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Home Emergencies | Glossary



CONTENTS:
  1. How to Use this Guide (below)
  2. Prevention and Preparedness
  3. Family First Aid
  4. Hazardous Materials
  5. Household Security
  6. Fire
  7. Water (wet-basement.net )
  8. Electricity
  9. Gas
  10. Plumbing
  11. Heating and Cooling
  12. Environmental Disasters
  13. Cleaning Up

HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE

Home Emergencies provides you with information that can be indispensable, even lifesaving, in the event of a household emergency. The section entitled Prevention and Preparedness focuses on preventing emergencies—and on ways you can be prepared to handle emergencies. Each other section offers a comprehensive approach to Troubleshooting and handling a specific type of home emergency—from family first aid to cleaning up after a major fire, water or environmental disaster.

Take the time to pre-study each section before you actually need the important advice it contains (i.e., before actual emergency).

Pictured below are four samples from the section entitled Fire, with captions describing the various features of the guide and how they work. For example, if flames or smoke come from an electrical outlet, the Troubleshooting Guide will direct you through the quick-action steps to take and refer you to detailed procedures in the section and elsewhere in the guide. You will be instructed to have someone call the fire department immediately and sent to the article for information on controlling the electrical fire using a fire extinguisher rated ABC or BC. If the fire is not small and contained or if flames or smoke come from the walls or lungs, you will be instructed to evacuate the house and sent –- below is more information on using a primary escape route; see below also for information on using a secondary escape route.

-- This Guide’s presentation format --

Introductory text: Describes emergency prevention measures, most common emergency situations and basic approaches to coping with an emergency.

Tools and supplies: Present suggested safety devices for preventing emergencies and any specialized tools and equipment required for coping with emergencies.

Name of procedure: You will be referred by the Troubleshooting Guide to the specific emergency procedure.

Step-by-step procedures: Follow the numbered procedure sequence carefully. Depending on the result of each step, you may be directed to a later step or to another part of the guide.

Insets: Provide close-up views of specific steps and illustrate variations in techniques.

Troubleshooting Guide: To use this chart, locate the symptom that most closely resembles your problem in column 1, then follow the recommended procedures in column 2. Some instructions may be explained on the chart; in other cases, you will be directed to an illustrated procedure sequence.

Lead-ins: Bold lead-ins summarize each step or highlight the key action shown in the illustration.

Cross-references: Direct you to important information elsewhere in the guide.

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The Safety Tips in each section cover guidelines for preventing and coping with an emergency. Step-by-step procedures and sidebars in each section present greater tails; for example: installing smoke detectors (58) and locating a fireplace safely. Suggested safety devices r preventing an emergency and any specialized tools and equipment required for coping with an emergency are shown at the beginning of each section.

Take the time to familiarize yourself with each system in your home and the special hazards that may be associated with it; the effort you make could save a life. Locate and label or tag the main shutoff for each utility: electricity; gas; propane; water; oil.

Post emergency telephone numbers by each telephone; note that in most regions, you should dial 911 in the event of any life-threatening emergency.

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