KIT / 01 APARTMENT
Apartment kit
An apartment changes the plan. You usually cannot run a generator, you may not be allowed to grill on the balcony, and you share walls, water and stairs with a building full of people. This kit is built for those limits: quiet battery power, no open flames, and a plan for when the elevator stops.
What changes in an apartment
1. Skip the generator. CPSC says to run portable generators outside only, at least 20 feet from the house, and never indoors, in a garage or on a porch. A balcony or patio next to your windows does not meet that standard, and your landlord's rules or fire code may forbid it anyway. Use batteries instead, and see our power guide.
2. Know your cooking rules. Many fire codes ban charcoal and open-flame cooking devices on combustible balconies and within about 10 feet of combustible construction, and many ban storing propane cylinders inside units. National fire code language says that in buildings other than one- and two-family homes, grills should not be stored on a balcony. Electric grills are often allowed. Rules vary by city, so read your lease and your local fire code before you buy any stove or grill.
3. Plan for no-cook meals. Shelf-stable food that needs no cooking is the safest base plan. If you have a gas range, Ready.gov is clear on one point: never use a gas stovetop or oven to heat your home. Cooking and heating are different jobs.
4. Expect the elevator to stop. Know both stairways and keep a headlamp by the door. If stairs are hard for you, tell building management ahead of time and ask your local emergency management office what help is available.
5. Ask about water. In some buildings, electric pumps move water to upper floors. Ask building management whether your taps will run during an outage. Store water before you need it, in containers you can carry up the stairs.
6. Carbon monoxide can come from outside. Neighbors' generators, a nearby garage or a gas appliance can send carbon monoxide into a unit. Put battery-powered alarms on every level and near bedrooms. If you hear a generator close to your windows or smell fuel, tell building management.
7. Tell people who can help. If someone in your home uses powered medical equipment, tell building management and your electric utility, and see our guide on medical devices in an outage.
The layers
| Layer | What to get | Why it suits an apartment |
|---|---|---|
| Light | A headlamp per person and one lantern | No flame, no fumes |
| Phone power | A power bank, charged and topped up every few months | Alerts, maps and family calls |
| Small-load power | A portable power station | Quiet, no exhaust, safe indoors, runs a router, lamp, fan or laptop |
| Water | Several days stored, in containers you can lift | Pumps and mains can fail |
| Food | No-cook meals, a manual can opener, a small cooler | No grill needed |
| Safety | Battery carbon monoxide alarms, smoke alarms | Shared air and shared walls |
Picks
Each pick links to its card on the Gear page. No prices.
| Pick | Base | Why it fits |
|---|---|---|
| EcoFlow RIVER 3 | Power | 245 Wh and 300 W rated output. Runs a router, lights, a fan or a laptop for hours, with no exhaust |
| INIU P41 10,000 mAh power bank | Communication | Keeps phones alive in a short outage |
| Energizer PRO-260 headlamp | Light | Hands-free for stairs and cooking |
| Goal Zero Lighthouse Micro Flash | Light | Small lantern for a table. (Confirm it is still sold on Amazon) |
| First Alert CO710 | Heat and cooling | Sealed battery rated up to 10 years, 85 dB, listed to UL 2034 |
No water container pick yet for apartments. The 6-gallon Igloo weighs about 50 pounds full, which is hard on stairs. Look for smaller containers once Claude has spec-checked one.
What to skip
- Generators, on a balcony or anywhere near the building.
- Charcoal grills, propane grills and propane cylinders unless your lease and fire code allow them.
- Kerosene heaters, camp stoves and candles used indoors. A battery lantern does the same job without a flame.
- Running a gas stove or oven for heat.
Apartment checklist
- I read my lease and my local fire code on grills, propane and balcony use.
- I know both stairways and have walked them.
- A headlamp is by the door and by the bed.
- I have several days of water in containers I can carry.
- I have no-cook food and a manual can opener.
- My phone power bank is charged.
- Battery carbon monoxide alarms are on every level and near bedrooms.
- Building management and my utility know about any medical equipment.
- I have a meeting place and a family plan written down (our free checklist has one).
Sources
- CPSC, What to Know About Generators and CO (PDF): https://www.cpsc.gov/s3fs-public/468_WhattoKnowGenerators_2022_v5.pdf
- Ready.gov, Power Outages: https://www.ready.gov/power-outages
- FoodSafety.gov, Power outage: https://www.foodsafety.gov/blog/poweroutage.html
- Ready.gov, Build a Kit: https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit
- North Port Fire Rescue, portable cooking grills (cites NFPA 1): https://www.northportfl.gov/City-Services-and-Safety/Emergency-Services/North-Port-Fire-Rescue-District/Fire-Prevention/Portable-Cooking-Grills-and-Fire-Prevention
- Destin Fire Control District, charcoal and gas grills in multi-unit buildings (Florida Fire Prevention Code): https://www.destinfire.gov/files/d8d434d43/BBQ+Grill%2C+2024.pdf
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