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Move safely

Home emergency tools and safety checklist

The best emergency repair is often the hazard removed beforehand. Focus on alarms, exits, safe storage, maintenance and simple tools rather than a large collection of unfamiliar equipment.

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From AidWorkers Humanitarian experience applied at homeEvidence base 4 named sourcesReviewed 25 July 2026

Why this matters

Walk through the home from each person’s point of view. Look for blocked exits, unstable furniture, overloaded sockets, leaking pipes, unsafe heaters, chemical storage and objects that could fall during a shock or storm.

Keep only tools that solve known problems and match the user’s skill. Label utility controls, but turn them off only when instructed or when immediate danger and local guidance make it necessary. Restoration may require a qualified professional.

Before disruption

Prepare now

  • Test alarms and maintain heating, electrical, plumbing and fuel systems through qualified services.
  • Secure tall furniture, cylinders, shelves and heavy objects using methods suitable for the building.
  • Keep exits, stairs and access routes clear, lit and usable by everyone.
  • Store a torch, work gloves, basic hand tools, tape and protective items appropriate to local risks.
  • Photograph and label controls, then record the authority or professional advice for their safe use.

When it is happening

Protect the next decision

  1. Leave immediately for fire, gas, major structural damage or any official evacuation instruction.
  2. Approach repairs only after checking for electricity, gas, water, contamination and structural danger.
  3. Use protective equipment within its limits and stop when the task needs specialist skill.
  4. Keep children, animals and bystanders outside the work area.

Plan for real people

Access, care and inclusion

  • Ensure controls, alarms, locks and tools can be reached and understood by the intended user.
  • Keep accessible exits free of storage and plan for lifts or powered doors to fail.
  • Use tactile, visual or plain-language labels without exposing sensitive information.
  • Ask landlords or building managers in writing about shared systems and emergency responsibilities.

Mental readiness

Protect morale and clear thinking

  • A short safety check can turn anxiety into one visible improvement.
  • Assign tasks by competence, not by pressure or assumptions about age and gender.
  • Stop repair work before fatigue makes the situation more dangerous.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

  • Attempting electrical, gas, structural or fuel repairs without proper competence.
  • Buying specialist rescue tools without training, maintenance or a realistic use case.
  • Blocking escape routes with stored supplies.

Evidence and review

Sources behind this guide

Prepare Now uses authoritative government, humanitarian and public-health material as a starting point. Source advice can be specific to a country, hazard or date, so check the current version for your location.

Continue preparing

Power & lightingProtect essential devices, use safer light, manage batteries and avoid generator and charging hazards.Shelter & temperaturePrepare for heat, cold, damaged buildings, temporary shelter and instructions to stay indoors.All hazard guidancePrepare across flood, storm, fire, heat, cold, earthquake, disease, conflict and service failure without mixing incompatible advice.

Editorial status: first staging edition. Safety-critical instructions will receive specialist and jurisdiction review before public launch.