Fire prevention and procedures are always a priority…for those who own multifamily apartments, and other commercial RE buildings/assets. What are your best-practices for sharing fire safety guidelines with those at your apartment communities and your commercial real estate properties? Do your residents/tenants know the procedures in place if a fire were to occur at their locations?
Below are several articles related to recent fires and 7 fire prevention tips–with a number of smart/bright recommendations. Please share this story with those on your leadership, leasing and multifamily maintenance teams~
Residents displaced after Madison Heights apartment fire
http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/large-apartment-fire-in-madison-heights
Apartment building destroyed by fire in Orange County
http://www.wesh.com/news/central-florida/orange-county/Apartment-building-destroyed-by-fire-in-Orange-County/-/12978032/18252440/-/10901m2z/-/index.html
Four Fire Prevention Strategies
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Fire prevention strategies can help protect you from incurring thousands of dollars in damages, and they can save your life. It’s great to have working smoke detectors and a carbon monoxide detector installed, but those are only effective after a fire has already started. Here are 4 simple fire prevention strategies for your multifamily apartment communities and commercial RE buildings.
#1. Use surge protectors – This not only protects your appliances and/or business equipment, it can also help prevent a fire. If something shorts out, the spark could potentially start a fire. This is especially true in older apartments and commercial real estate buildings, where the outlets may not be up to municipal fire codes. A surge protector for your electronics can be an extra level of protection.
#2. Cigarettes – Unattended cigarettes are the number one cause of apartment fires. This makes it a tremendous health risk not only for yourself, but also for your apartment neighbors if you set the building on fire. Consider entering a treatment program to kick the habit, and if you must have a cigarette, smoke it outside (away from your neighbors’ apartments), and ensure it is properly put out.
#3. Check electrical cords – If you find an electrical cord for an appliance or a piece of business equipment that’s frayed or cracked, it’s a potential fire hazard. Either replace the cord or the entire appliance. Also, don’t run electric cords underneath a rug or between rooms/offices. Walking on a cord or closing a door on it can cause it to wear out over time, and a spark could cause a fire.
#4. Take care with heaters – Don’t attempt to dry clothes on the heaters in your apartment. Make sure to keep all heaters free and clear from obstructions, especially things that are flammable. If you use a space heater in your office or in your apartment, make sure it’s an appropriate distance from anything that could catch fire (about three feet). Never use an extension cord with a space heater in your apartment or business office.
Within your company—-what are your policies/procedures for how often your team checks and services fire safety equipment? How often do you send communication to your residents/tenants—reminding them of the procedures in place…in case of a fire emergency?
Focusing on fire prevention and procedures…how does this tie into your RE & multifamily apartment/commercial building insurance? What does your insurance policy require regarding documentation of fire safety equipment?
Would you like our team to do a review of your RE building insurance coverage—related to fire safety prevention?
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Industry Knowledge, RE Building Insurance
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Crag Simmons
Power Insurance & Risk Management Group
http://www.PIRMG.com
877-602-6030
