Shelter, Heat & Cold
Staying safe at home without power, and outdoors without shelter.
Staying warm without power
- Live in one small room. Close other doors. Choose a room with few windows, on the sunny side if possible.
- Cover windows with blankets, cardboard or plastic sheeting. Block draughts under doors.
- Wear several loose layers, a hat, gloves and dry socks. Change out of wet clothes quickly.
- Sleep off the floor or on insulation (cardboard, foam, blankets). Share a bed or room to share body heat.
- Eat regularly and drink warm drinks. Your body needs fuel to stay warm.
- Fill bottles with hot water to warm beds. Check elderly people, babies and sick people often.
Carbon monoxide: the silent killer
Important: Never use generators, barbecues, charcoal, camping stoves or gas ovens to heat a room, and never inside a house, tent, garage or vehicle. Keep generators at least 6 metres from doors and windows.
Signs: headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, confusion, sleepiness, often several people at once. Get everyone into fresh air immediately and get medical help.
Warning: Candles cause many fires. Never leave them burning unattended or near curtains and bedding. Use torches where possible.
Staying cool in extreme heat
- ☐ Drink water regularly, even if not thirsty
- ☐ Stay indoors in the coolest room during the hottest hours
- ☐ Close curtains on the sunny side; open windows at night
- ☐ Use wet cloths and cool showers
- ☐ Wear loose, light-coloured clothing and a hat outdoors
- ☐ Check elderly people, babies and sick people twice a day
- ☐ Never leave children or animals in a parked vehicle
Heat stroke is an emergency. See the First Aid pack.
Outdoors without shelter
- Get out of the wind and rain: behind a wall, rock, vehicle or dense trees.
- Insulate yourself from the ground. The ground takes heat fastest. Use branches, leaves, cardboard or bags.
- Make a small shelter: a sheet or tarp over a rope or branch, sides weighed down. Small spaces stay warmer.
- Stay dry. Avoid valleys and riverbeds (cold air and flash floods) and hilltops (wind, lightning).
Free printable guides and the HAVEN offline survival app: havensurvival.com