Home Safety for the Home-Alone

Living alone, especially for the first time, can feel overwhelming. The responsibilities previously shared, are now on the shoulders of one – and that’s you. However, you will adapt, and as you do, you will grow in your own confidence, and feel a sense of pride in being able to take care of yourself. Perhaps one of the most important ways in which you can take responsibility for yourself, is to attend to basic personal safety matters. This will enable you to deal with emergencies when they arrive, without panicking. To help you, we’ve put together the following simple, but not exhaustive, ‘to do’ list. Working through it can be rewarding.

Easy-as!

A pen, paper, and some thinking time is all you need to check off these important to do’s:

Write an emergency phone contact list, and place it in a prominent place (such as on the door of the fridge or a notice board) where anyone coming into the house can see it. That way, neighbours and medical professionals will know who to call if you can’t tell them, and you won’t have to scrabble around in your phone contacts looking for numbers. Include on your list: family members, GP, vet, and energy supplier.

Write a medication check list, and place it in a prominent place where others can find it. Include the name of each medication, and when and how you take it. This list will change from time to time, so keep a white-out pen handy, and update the list as required.

Make a mental exit plan from your home in case of fire. To help you, go to Fire Emergency NZ’s helpful website. Your first choice of exit should be the one you would normally use. If that’s not possible, you will need a second exit route. This may be a window, in which case, do you need a safe and handy way to access it? You can actively help keep yourself safe by ensuring your fire escape exits are not blocked by furniture or other items, and the keys to any locked doors are close by.

Create and Update

Whether it’s a first aid kit or a leaving-home-in-a-hurry grab bag, many of us haven’t got one! And if we have, it’s thoroughly out-of-date. If you already have these kits, check them out to make sure none of the contents have expired or already been used, and replace as required. If you’re assembling a grab-and-go bag for the first time, check out Civil Defence’s recommendations here. If you’re after a home first aid kit, consider buying one from St John (assembling your own can end up costly).

In an emergency, our pets are important, too. Do you have a safe way of transporting your pet if you need to take it with you when you leave home in a hurry? Pet carry cages are not expensive, but if you already have one, it’s important to make sure it’s functioning. Check latches to make sure they open easily, add a clip-on water dish, and tuck some extra pet litter inside.

Easy-Peasie

The following to do’s are so simple. Take a small amount of time to achieve them, and you’ll have made huge steps to living alone safely:

1. Leave a spare key to your home with a trusted neighbour, and another with a family member you would call in an emergency.
2. Use a kitchen timer (or you phone alarm) when cooking, to remind you of what’s on the stove.
3. Check your smoke alarm is working (or ask someone to do this for you if reaching it isn’t safe).
4. Keep a small fire extinguisher and a flame blanket within handy reach of the kitchen (but not too close to the stove or cooking surfaces). These can be purchased from a hardware store.
5. Say ‘goodbye’ to mats and loose rugs (if they are essential, make sure they’re backed with a non-slip material).
6. Keep walking areas free of trip items such as books, magazines, shoes, and pet dishes.
7. Keep torches and spare batteries in easy-to-reach-in-the-dark locations.

Don’t expect to tick off your home safety to-do list in one day. Work your way through it methodically, then follow up on other safety measures you can take by talking to friends, relatives and professionals. It’s all part of living alone safely and independently.