Emergency Safety Center

Last updated: July 28, 2026

If you are facing an active emergency, call 911 or your local emergency services first. The guidance below is general safety information for common home emergencies while help is on the way. It is not a substitute for professional emergency responders, a licensed contractor, or your utility company's emergency line.

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Gas Leaks

Warning signs: A sulfur or rotten-egg smell, a hissing sound near a gas line or appliance, dead vegetation in an otherwise healthy area near a buried line, or a whistling sound.

• Do not light a match, flip a light switch, use a phone, or operate anything that could create a spark inside the building.
• Leave the area immediately and get everyone, including pets, outside and away from the building.
• Once safely away, call your gas utility's emergency line and 911.
• Do not return to the building until a utility worker or fire department confirms it's safe.
• Afterward, a licensed plumber or gas fitter should inspect and repair the source. See our Plumbing And HVAC Guides for related maintenance topics.

Electrical Emergencies

Warning signs: Visible sparks, a persistent burning smell without a visible source, warm or discolored outlets and switch plates, frequently tripping breakers, or a buzzing sound from a panel or outlet.

• If you can safely do so without touching the affected fixture, switch off power at the breaker for that circuit, or the main breaker if unsure which circuit is affected.
• Never touch an electrical source with wet hands or while standing in water.
• If you see active sparking, smoke, or smell burning insulation, leave the area and call 911; electrical fires can spread inside walls where they aren't visible.
• Do not attempt to open or work inside an electrical panel unless you are a licensed electrician.
• Afterward, have a licensed electrician inspect the circuit before using it again. See our Electrical Guides for related topics.

Fires

If you discover a fire:

• Get everyone out of the building first. Do not stop to gather belongings.
• Call 911 from outside the building once everyone is safely out.
• Close doors behind you as you leave to help slow the fire's spread.
• Only attempt to fight a small, contained fire yourself (for example, with a fire extinguisher on a small kitchen fire) if you have a clear escape route and the fire is not growing; if in doubt, leave and let firefighters handle it.
• Never use water on a grease or electrical fire.
• After a fire, do not re-enter until the fire department clears the structure, and have it inspected for hidden damage before repairs begin. See our Storm and disaster restoration Guides for recovery steps.

Flooding

For a burst pipe or sudden interior flooding:

• Shut off the main water supply valve as soon as it's safe to do so.
• Turn off electricity to affected areas at the breaker if water is near outlets, switches, or appliances. But do not enter standing water to reach a breaker panel; call an electrician or the fire department instead if that's the only way to reach it.
• Move valuables and electronics away from rising water if it is safe to do so.
• Document the damage with photos before cleanup, for insurance purposes.
• For flooding from external sources (storms, rising water), follow local evacuation guidance and never drive or walk through moving floodwater.
• See our Foundation and basement And Storm and disaster restoration Guides for next steps and mold-prevention timing.

Structural Damage

Warning signs of a serious structural problem: New or rapidly widening cracks in foundation walls or ceilings, doors and windows suddenly sticking or not closing, visibly sagging floors or rooflines, or a leaning wall or chimney.

• If you notice sudden sagging, leaning, or loud creaking/cracking sounds from a structural element, evacuate the area and, if the risk seems severe, the building.
• Do not attempt to shore up or repair suspected structural failure yourself.
• Call 911 if collapse seems imminent; otherwise, contact a licensed structural engineer or your local building department for an emergency inspection.
• See our Foundation and basement Guides for related background.

Carbon Monoxide

Warning signs: Headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion, or a working carbon monoxide detector alarming. CO is odorless and colorless. Symptoms are often the only early warning besides a detector.

• Do not try to find the source yourself before evacuating.
• After the emergency, have your heating system, water heater, and any fuel-burning appliances inspected by a licensed HVAC technician before using them again.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and near sleeping areas, and test them regularly.
• See our HVAC Guides for furnace and combustion-appliance maintenance topics.

Related pages

For non-emergency project planning around these systems, see our HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, and Storm and disaster restoration Category guides. For finding a licensed professional for follow-up repairs, use our Quote request Tool.