If disaster strikes, will you be ready? In the case of an emergency that occurs in or around your home, time is of the essence and every second definitely counts. The best thing you can do to be prepared is to know who to call in each emergency situation. Do you need poison control? Is it smart to quickly call the relatives? How best to stop a rogue pipe from flooding the basement?

This emergency contact list will ensure that you can stay calm in an emergency by knowing who to call and what actions to follow. Read on and stay safe and prepared in your home, no matter what catastrophe befalls you.

Step 1: Medical and Other Life-Threatening Emergencies

These numbers should always be hung up on the fridge or next to the phone if you have a landline. It is easy to look online to find the number of these services in your area, but wise to prepare in advance in case the power is out and you don't have access to the Internet. Make a list that includes:

• 911
• Poison Control Center
• Police Department for your city (non-emergency)
• Fire Department (non-emergency)
• Emergency Vet
• Doctor

While you may initially think it sounds silly to include 911 on the list, you never know what you may be thinking in a panic, and it could be just the thing to jar you into action.

Step 2: Household Emergencies

Next, you must prepare for anything that may happen that could potentially damage your home. Do you know whom to call if a pipe bursts? What about if you think you smell gas? Or the heat goes out in the middle of winter? Keep these numbers in your phone or wallet in addition to the list next to the phone. That way, you still know whom to call if something happens while you are away. This list should include:

• Water Company
• Gas Company
• Electric Company
• Electrician
• Plumber
• Home Insurance Company
• Home Security Monitoring Company
• HVAC (Heat and Air Conditioning) Repair
• Backup numbers for all service personnel if companies are busy in your city due to increased construction, for example

Step 3: Non-Emergency Home Maintenance and Service

These numbers are necessary for those times when something is wrong, but it isn't life-threatening. Anything that happens to the home can be stressful for homeowners, so it is best if you don't have to go scrambling for the contact information to cause more undue stress.

• Pest Control
• A General Handy Person
• A Trusted Neighbor (or three)
• Family Member or Emergency Contact

This list should be saved in your mobile phone, in addition to your comprehensive list that you keep handy, somewhere by the phone. That way, a house sitter can easily reach one of these contacts if they cannot get in touch with you.

Bonus: Emergency Preparedness Information

Create a file on your computer that stores all pertinent information about you and the pets in your household. This should include medical history, will and medical derivatives, and insurance information. This LifeHacker article offers some great resources for creating emergency preparedness files and other information.

I am a multi-million dollar producer and proud to be part of the Bob English team. Let our experience of more than 30 years go to work for you.  I will help you every step of the way.  I look forward to working with you. Click HERE to find your next home or to see what your current home is worth. Phil Kuntz 717-575-8076 | kuntzp23@comcast.net 

Source:  http://www.homes.com/blog/2017/11/the-emergency-contact-list-that-every-homeowner-should-have/