Are you a property manager or the owner of commercial property responsible for the maintenance and safety of the buildings? If so, then you probably understand the importance of not only keeping the furniture and belongings in those buildings safe, but also the lives of the people who are living there. There are many safety concerns for commercial property owners and property managers, but one that typically tops the list is fires. Below are three things to remember about the various types of fire protection services available for your buildings:
1. Sprinkler Systems – One of the most common types of fire safety that you can have in your building is a sprinkler system that is activated if smoke is detected. Many fire protection companies offer sprinkler systems that can be tailored to your particular space. When the system is installed you will probably also be able to talk to someone about getting on a schedule for regular maintenance to ensure the system is still working properly. Both sprinkler and fire alarm repair should be on your annual checklist as a property manager or commercial property owner.
2. Fire Alarm Systems – Having an integrated fire alarm system for your building is a great way to ensure safety, and in some industries it may even be required. For instance, small data centers that are less than 2,500 square feet are required to have an early warning fire detection system in place. No matter what type of fire alarm system you choose, you will once again need to make sure you are scheduled for regular fire alarm maintenance and know exactly who to contact for fire alarm repair requests. The last thing you want is to have a system in place that doesn’t work when you need it to.
3. Employee/Resident Preparedness – Another type of fire protection is having the people inside the building you want to protect ready for if a fire were to take place. Whether these people are your employees or your residents, you want them to understand where to go, what to do, and what numbers they need to be calling when a fire takes place. Many companies that offer fire alarm repair also offer some sort of training or documentation that you might be able to hand out to your residents and/or employees.
The statistics are startling: half of all high-rise fires are made up from just four property classes: apartments, hotels, offices, and facilities that care for the sick. The good news is that research also shows that with the right combination of sprinklers and fire warning systems there is usually a 50 percent reduction in overall injuries, loss of life, and property damage. Take the extra step for fire safety and make sure you have a working alarm and sprinkler system and that your employees and/or residents know exactly what to do in case of a fire emergency.
