Emergency Plan for Your PG: Medical Issues, Fire, and Power Cuts

Most PG owners never need their emergency plan. The ones who do, need it badly and immediately. A tenant has a high fever at 2 AM, a short circuit starts a small fire, or the power goes out during an exam week. In those minutes, nobody wants to be searching for a phone number or arguing about who should do what. A simple plan, written down and known to everyone, turns panic into a routine.

This article is general good-practice guidance, not a substitute for professional safety advice. Fire safety, medical, and building requirements vary by city and building type, so follow the rules that apply to you and consult qualified professionals, such as your local fire department, for specifics.

Why Every PG Needs a Written Plan

• Speed matters. In an emergency, minutes count, and decisions made under stress are rarely good ones.
• Tenants are often far from home. They may have no family nearby, so you and your staff are who they turn to.
• Parents ask. "What happens if my child falls ill at night?" is one of the most common questions, and a confident answer builds trust.
• It protects you. A clear, followed plan shows you acted responsibly.

Step 1: Build a One-Page Emergency Sheet

Start with a single page, printed and displayed in common areas and with your staff. It should include:

• The national emergency number and local numbers for ambulance, fire, and police. India has a single emergency number, 112, but check which local numbers work in your area.
• The nearest hospital or clinic, with its address and phone number, and a second option.
• Your number, your manager's or warden's number, and a backup contact.
• The address and nearest landmark of your PG, written so anyone can read it out to a dispatcher.
• Electrician, plumber, and maintenance contacts.

Step 2: Know Your Scenarios

Medical Emergencies: The Part Parents Ask About Most

• Keep every tenant's emergency contact on file, and check that the numbers still work.
• Know the nearest hospital, and how to get there at night, including who can drive or which taxi service you can call.
• Keep a basic first-aid kit in an easy-to-find place, and check it for expired items.
• Don't give medicines casually. Staff aren't doctors, so their role is to help the person get proper care, not to treat them.
• Train at least one person per shift in basic first aid, if you can.
• Call for help early. If you're unsure whether something is serious, treat it as serious.
• Afterwards, inform the tenant's family, check in on the tenant, and note the details for your records.

Fire Basics

• Keep exits clear. Blocked corridors and locked gates are among the most dangerous mistakes.
• Know where the extinguishers are, make sure they're serviced as required, and check that staff know how to use them.
• Prevent the common causes. Overloaded sockets, damaged wiring, and unattended cooking cause many fires, so make them part of your regular checks.
• Evacuate first, fight the fire second. People matter more than property. Don't take lifts during a fire.
• Run a simple drill occasionally, so tenants know the exits and the meeting point.
• Follow local fire safety rules for your building type, and ask the local fire department if you're unsure what applies.

The main reason to do all this is simple: it keeps people safe. A visible commitment to safety also shapes how tenants and parents see you, which shows up in your online reviews and reputation.

Power Cuts

• Have backup lighting in corridors, staircases, and common areas, such as rechargeable lights, so people can move safely.
• Decide how you'll handle longer outages, such as an inverter or generator, if your PG uses one, and make sure it's installed and used safely, with fuel stored safely and generators kept outdoors or well ventilated.
• Plan for water. Pumps depend on power, so know how long your tanks last.
• Communicate. A short message about what's happening and when it should be fixed prevents frustration.
• Check your safety equipment, including cameras and emergency lighting, that may rely on power.

Step 3: Assign Roles

A plan only works if people know their part. Decide in advance:

• Who is the first person to respond, on every shift
• Who calls emergency services
• Who contacts the tenant's family
• Who stays with the person, and who manages the rest of the tenants
• Who is the backup if the first person isn't available

Include emergency basics when you hire and train, as we describe in our guide to staff management for PGs, so every new staff member knows what to do from the first day.

Step 4: Tell Tenants

• Share the emergency sheet at move-in, and point out the exits, extinguishers, and first-aid kit.
• Ask each tenant to give you an emergency contact, and to tell you about any serious medical condition or allergy they're comfortable sharing, so you can act quickly if needed. Keep this information private.
• Remind them occasionally, especially after any incident or change.

Step 5: Check It Regularly

A plan that isn't checked goes out of date. Numbers change, extinguishers expire, and staff move on. Add a few quick checks to your daily or weekly routine: emergency lights working, exits clear, first-aid box stocked, and the contact sheet current. In MyPG, the daily checklist is a natural place to build in these checks, and tenant complaints about safety hazards, like a loose wire or a blocked exit, can be checked, assigned, answered, and resolved in the application.

After an Incident

1. Look after the people first, then the property.
2. Record what happened, including time, who was involved, and what you did.
3. Inform the right people: the tenant's family where appropriate, and authorities where required.
4. Review what you learned. What worked, what didn't, and what you'll change.
5. Respect privacy. Don't discuss a tenant's medical situation with other tenants.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• No written plan, or one kept only in your head.
• Out-of-date numbers. A wrong number is worse than none.
• Blocked or locked exits "for security."
• Staff improvising medical treatment instead of calling for help.
• Assuming it won't happen. Most never need the plan, until they do.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the emergency number in India?

112 is the single emergency number in India. Check which local numbers work in your area for ambulance, fire, and police, and keep them on your emergency sheet.

Do I need a fire safety certificate for my PG?

Requirements depend on the building, its size, and local rules, so there's no single answer. Ask your local fire department or a qualified professional what applies to your property.

Should staff give tenants medicine?

No. Staff should help a tenant get proper medical care, and they can use a basic first-aid kit for minor injuries, but they shouldn't act as doctors.

How often should I review the plan?

At least every few months, and whenever staff, numbers, or the building change. A quick check as part of your regular routine is better than an occasional big review.

An emergency plan isn't about expecting the worst. It's about making sure that if something does happen, everyone knows what to do and who to call. Write a one-page sheet, assign roles, tell your tenants, and check it regularly. It takes an afternoon to set up, and it's one of the most valuable things you can do for your tenants.

With MyPG's daily checklist and complaint tracking, your safety checks and hazard reports stay organized in one place instead of depending on memory.