All of us will have experienced some form of emergency before, whether it’s related to ourselves or someone we know. The first step to dealing with any emergency is to remain as calm as possible and use logic to try to remedy the problem. However, there are many different approaches we can take to certain emergencies, so it’s very important to have a good understanding of the situation and know how to handle each problem when it arises. To help you with this decision-making process and enable you to effectively handle an emergency, we’ve listed some common everyday emergencies with some advice on how to handle each.
Insect Infestation
This first emergency can be an extremely frustrating one, and it can vary in severity depending on what the type of pest is. Having ants in your home, for example, isn’t necessarily an emergency, but it can be very unpleasant. This is because they are relatively difficult to get rid of. However, suppose you spend your time identifying exactly where they are getting in by following the trail of ants to a gap or hole in your home. In that case, you can either block this route off physically or put down a natural or chemical deterrent such as insect spray or something such as white wine vinegar. This will repel the ants and prevent more from coming in. If you have an infestation of wasps or rodents, however, things might feel a little bit more like an emergency. It’s highly recommended that you hire a pest control expert to deal with an infestation like this, as wasps can physically hurt you and your family, and rodents can carry significant diseases, spreading them to areas they touch.
Someone Gets Locked In A Room
We’ve all likely been in a situation such as this: you’ve gone to the bathroom and locked the door, only to find that, once you’re about to leave, the lock remains firmly in place. This can often happen in older homes that have stiff door mechanisms. If this happens to you or someone else in your home, the first step is to not panic. This can be easier said than done, especially if you’re the type that struggles in smaller spaces. However, if worst comes to worst, the door can be broken down, so just remember that you’re not trapped there. Once you realise this, taking a calm and calculated approach is much easier. First, try to figure out if you are operating the lock correctly. Some older locks can be a bit fiddly, and sometimes each lock will have an unintended knack for unlocking it. You could also try passing the key under the door to the person outside and seeing if it’s easier to unlock from there. If that doesn’t work, you could try unscrewing the door if the screws are visible from either side of the door and aren’t on the inside of the doorframe, taking it off its hinges.
Faulty Boiler
Especially during the wintertime, a broken or faulty boiler is going to be seriously problematic. Of course, having no access to hot water at any point of the year is frustrating, but when the temperature drops significantly, you might be in for a pretty cold couple of days. There really isn’t much you can do about a faulty boiler, however, other than get it repaired or replaced. And sadly, this can be quite costly. In many scenarios, it’s just not possible for people to afford to replace their boiler, and they have to then make the decision of leaving it until payday or a time when they’ve managed to save up enough money, get it replaced on a repayment plan, or even take out a loan so you can pay it back once you have the money. The latter two of these are going to mean you’ll get your boiler replaced much faster. Of course, a short-term loan from a company such as Sunny can be very effective here. However, remember that, due to short-term loans having high-interest rates, you should endeavour to pay them back as soon as physically possible to avoid being stung by extra payments.
Flat Tire
This is another emergency that can vary in severity depending on the situation you find yourself in. First of all, a flat tire isn’t inherently an emergency. If you notice that one of your tires is flat when your car is sitting on the drive, you can simply replace the wheel with a spare and take it to a garage to get a brand-new one fitted. However, this is a significantly different situation if you’re driving and you notice your tire go flat. Driving on a flat can lead to further damage to the wheel and tire, even lacerating the rest of the tire, and this can be very dangerous, especially when driving at speed. Find the next available place to stop your car safely, such as at a motorway service station or a nearby car park, and call a car repair company unless you can replace the wheel with a spare. This is why it’s always a good idea to get some experience in changing a tire. You should also have the tools you’d need, as well as the spare tire in your car at all times.
Car Breaks Down
Another problem you could run into with your car is a complete breakdown of the vehicle. Again, this is much different if you’re already parked up versus if you’re on the road. However, if your car just won’t start and you’re in a hurry, this can be an emergency depending on your upcoming engagements’ importance. Contact the car repair company you use and wait for them at home. In the meantime, you can then call ahead to whoever needs to know and explain to them what is happening. Unfortunately, these things happen, and it’s entirely out of your control from this point. If you break down on a busy road such as the motorway, try not to panic. Your first step is to turn your hazard lights on straight away so that other road users understand there’s something wrong. Then unless you can make it to a service station, carefully pull over onto the hard shoulder. If you have them, put high visibility clothing on, such as a reflective safety vest, and step away from your vehicle and the road itself. Call for help when possible and await a roadside assistance team.
Power Cut
There are a couple of different scenarios you might experience when it comes to a power cut at your home. First of all, if the power goes out in your entire area, which you can note from looking out at the other homes and even the streetlamps, this may be a waiting game. However, if it just appears to be your home that has lost power, that likely means some sort of fault has tripped your fuse box. If the entire area has lost power, you could benefit from calling your energy supplier for a few different reasons. You’ll be able to get any advice from them as well as an estimate of how long it’ll take for power to return, and you might even alert them to the issue itself, as it’s not always apparent from their end. If it’s an isolated power cut, you should try to identify the problem. Turn the power back on and see if it stays on. If it doesn’t, consider trying to figure out why your fuse box keeps tripping with these steps. This could be caused by anything from loose wiring to overloaded sockets, and it may take you a little while to meticulously figure out the cause.
