A lit candle, a cooking mishap, or an electrical spark can be enough to start a condominium fire that places every one of your residents at risk. Once a fire breaks out, the smoke that fills walkways can blind residents and burn their lungs as they attempt to reach safety. When you are faced with a condominium fire, will you and your residents be prepared? In this two-part article, we will be discussing just what condominium associations should do to safeguard their residents from a fire. To ensure that you have a comprehensive safety plan in place, consult with Wise Property Management, a Tampa condominium association management company.
Remaining Lawful
Your first step is to ensure that your buildings are compliant with all state laws. Florida condominiums may soon be required by state law to be retrofitted with a sprinkler system. Additionally, there should be an easily accessible fire extinguisher on every floor and a smoke alarm everywhere that your residents congregate, whether it be a common area, business center, or laundry facility. Smoke alarms must also be in all bedrooms, in the vicinity of bedrooms, and on all floors. Ensuring that a condominium association is compliant with all state and federal laws is a chief responsibility of a Tampa condo association management company. Contact Wise Property Management if you have any questions.
Mitigating Hazards
Potential fire hazards, especially electrical hazards, must be addressed. Flammable liquids that could cause or further fuel a fire must be removed or contained in appropriate containers. Potential electrical hazards, like electrical panels, must be kept clear of obstructions. Emphasis should be placed on keeping your complex clean, especially around exits and stairwells, to ensure that clutter doesn’t become a fire hazard and your residents have clear exits in the event that they have to evacuate their homes. A tidy complex is sure to have the added bonus of pleasing your residents.
Some of the above precautions may seem unnecessary, but they are a small price to pay when the alternative is an inferno that brings down your entire complex. In addition to what we have covered in this part, a condominium association must also put together a readily available fire safety plan for their residents. For information on initiating a fire safety plan, read part two.
Are you ready to work with a Tampa condominium association management company that makes life easier for you and your board members and improves the value of your property? If so, submit our proposal request form today!