What to cover in a tenant safety orientation at move-in
Move-in is when a tenant is paying the most attention to the home. It's the best time to cover the basics.
Water
- Where the fixture shutoffs and the main shutoff are, and how to close them.
- What to do first when water is spraying: close the valve, then call.
- Run the washer and dishwasher only while someone is home.
- What to do on freezing nights, where pipes can freeze.
Fire
- Test smoke alarms monthly and report chirps.
- Never leave cooking alone. How to put out a pan fire.
- Two ways out of every room, a meeting place outside, and sleeping with the bedroom door closed.
- Space heaters, dryer lint, candles and charging e-bikes.
Gas and carbon monoxide
- If you smell gas, leave first and call from outside.
- If the CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside, then call 911.
- Generators and grills stay outside.
Who to call
- 911 for fire, smoke, a gas smell, a CO alarm or anyone hurt.
- Your after hours number for urgent problems that aren't dangerous, like a leak they can't stop or no heat in winter.
How to deliver it
A walkthrough works if you have the time. A printed checklist helps, and you can use our free move-in checklist. To know it actually happened, SaferResident sends each tenant a 20 minute course on their phone about your building and gives you a certificate when they finish.
Teach it once, for every tenant. SaferResident sends each tenant a 20 minute phone course built around your building, with reminders, and gives you a certificate for every unit. $2 per unit per month, billed once a year as $24 per unit. Free for the first 60 days.
Sources
- Home Water Shutoff Valve, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (city water utility)
- How to Prevent Interior Water Damage from Plumbing and Appliances, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS)
- Learn More About Smoke Alarms, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- Safety with cooking equipment, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- How to make a home fire escape plan, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- Close Your Door: Close Before You Doze, UL Research Institutes, Fire Safety Research Institute (UL FSRI)
- Staying Safer from Natural Gas and Propane Leaks and Explosions (blog, 2025), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Basics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Calling 911, National 911 Program, NHTSA Office of EMS (911.gov)
Updated October 1, 2026. General safety information. It doesn't replace your building's safety systems, local codes or your lease. In an emergency, call 911.