When a fire erupts in one of the condominiums in your community, your residents may only have a couple of minutes to reach safety. Whether they safely escape or not will largely depend on the fire safety plan your condominium association has implemented, assuming a plan has been implemented at all.
In part one of this two-part article, the experts at Wise Property Management, a Tampa condominium management company, discussed the fire safety precautions that a condominium board of directors should implement in their community. Now we will be discussing the fire safety plan that you and your fellow condo board members should implement and distribute to your residents.
A Comprehensive Fire Safety Plan
It’s important to remember that even a “fireproof” condo building won’t stop a fire. Interior components can still be engulfed, creating smoke and heat that can threaten the lives of your residents. Your fire safety plan should be unique to your building and include the following information:
- The nearest exit
- Evacuation routes
- The time needed to evacuate
- Designated outside assembly areas
- The building address for emergency services
- Fire extinguisher locations
Your condo association should also be prepared with a list of residences that contain elderly or disabled residents, young children, and pets. In the event of a fire, this information will be invaluable to fire rescue teams trying to evacuate residents and animals that cannot save themselves.
Ensuring Plans Are Available to All Residents
Even the most comprehensive of fire safety plans is worthless if it never reaches your residents. The above fire safety plan should be posted on your website and in a number of common areas within your condo. Each resident should also be provided with a copy of the fire safety plan in their welcome packet, and an updated safety plan should be distributed every year. The Tampa condominium management services provided by Wise Property Management can aid condo associations with putting together a welcome packet, newsletter, or list of rules and regulations for your residents.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that your condo residents will read the fire safety plan. You and your fellow board members should run fire drills regularly and keep track of the time that it takes residents to evacuate. Remember, your residents may only have a matter of minutes to evacuate in the event of an out-of-control fire.
A Management Company That Values Safety
It is paramount that you and your fellow board members take precautions, implement safety plans, and are compliant with the state and federal laws regarding fire safety. All of this can be overwhelming for a board of directors, which is why a Tampa condominium management company is often called in to help pick up the slack. If your condominium association is in need of a management company that places safety above all else, consult with Wise Property Management.
Are you ready to work with a Tampa condominium 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!