High-Rise Condominium Fire Safety

High-Rise condominiums have received much attention in recent years from the fire safety community. The multiple floors of a high-rise building require many residents to venture a long path downward from their homes to evacuate, making them especially tricky from a safety standpoint.

A well-known example of a tragedy in a high-rise residential setting is the Grenfell Tower fire in London in 2017, which killed 72 people because of a lack of fire monitoring and safety precautions. Consequently, condominium managers and owners associations (COAs) must always be genuinely vigilant about fire safety. 

Fire Alarm Systems are Mandatory

Buildings are legally required to have a working and tested code-compliant fire alarm system. As a condo manager or COA, you should also:

●      Consult with a fire protection company to find out what type of sprinklers, smoke alarms, and extinguishers federal, state, and local laws and codes require and where to install them. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 13 dictates regulations for sprinkler systems.

●       Have residents tailor their own escape plan, including exit routes, whether the front door or designated fire escape.

●       Make sure shared areas such as laundry rooms, recreational facilities, and meeting rooms have smoke detectors and are free of electrical issues. Regular testing and maintenance are critical. 

●       Constantly educate staff and residents about fire safety in high-rise buildings. Here's a link to an informative brochure compiled by FEMA on High-Rise Fire Safety.

●       Appoint employees and residents to a committee that meets and discusses fire safety at least two times a year. The committee should distribute information and minutes to residents. 

●      Create a condominium fire safety checklist.  

●      Clean and organize storage areas. Stock flammable materials in the correct places.

Additional Condominium Fire Safety 

Condominium managers and COAs should make sure there is a fire extinguisher on every floor as well as any basements or parking garages. Also, establish a community meeting area once people evacuate the building so residents can account for each other. Although nobody likes them, it is a facility manager's responsibility to conduct fire drills at least once a year so residents are well-versed on the plan should an emergency occur.

Create a Fire Safety Plan for Residents

It is critical to create a fire safety plan that is unique to your condominium regarding layout and residents with disabilities. In addition to some of the things referenced above, your safety plan needs to have condominium building info such as construction type, evacuation, fire safety tips, and info on the building's fire safety system. Managers and COAs should: 

• Provide each resident with one
• Post it in common areas
• Distribute copies to each new resident 
• Make sure the local fire marshal and the fire department have a copy of the plan
  

Keep in mind, some factors can exacerbate a fire emergency. These should be considered in any fire safety plan. They include: 

●        Insufficient water supplies

●        A breeze creating a wind-driven fire 

●        Elderly occupants with a lack of mobility

●        Occupants who panic 

 HRSS Protects High-Rise Buildings and Condominiums

High Rise Security Systems, HRSS, can assist you in ascertaining the best commercial fire alarm system for your high-rise building or condominium with in-depth knowledge of all fire and life safety codes and quality fire safety equipment. Notification devices include audible alarms and flashing lights as well as tailored voice messages to help residents with a quick and safe evacuation. HRSS goes far beyond code compliance to offer the best commercial fire alarm system designed to exceed your unique high-rise building needs.

HRSS provides commercial fire and life safety systems to varius properties, including high-rise buildings, throughout the Chicagoland area.  Our professional fire safety specialists provide decades of experience in offering safe and compliant fire detection and protection for your property, residents, employees, and visitors. Contact us for more information on commercial fire and life safety systems for high-rise buildings.  

This article was originally published at: https://hrsschicago.com/commercial-fire-alarms/high-rise-condominium-fire-safety/