As the owner of an apartment building or a property manager, it is your job to ensure the safety of your tenants. While you cannot be physically present in the units of each apartment dweller every second of the day, laying down some apartment fire prevention guidelines. Doing so can prevent the break out of unit fires is a great way to help prevent a fire in the building before it starts.

Here is an apartment fire prevention checklist that you can review to prepare for the worst.

Fire Extinguishers

• Fire extinguishers should be in all units. Tenants should have easy access to the extinguishers, know where they are mounted, and make sure everyone living in the space is familiar with how to operate them.
• Fire extinguishers should be multi-purpose and tested on a regular basis.
• Extinguishers must be placed on every level of the apartment.
• Remember – these are meant for small fires only. Do not attempt to use a fire extinguisher for larger blazes.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms

• Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors must be installed outside every room on every level of the apartment unit.
• If possible, as the property manager, have each alarm with the unit connected to one another. This way if one alarm sounds, they will trigger the next alarm.
• Replace all smoke detectors when they reach 10 years old.
• Change the batteries twice a year. Typically this happens around daylight savings time – it’s easy to remember.
• Alarms should be tested monthly by tenants.
• When an alarm goes off, all tenants should know how to respond and using the fire escape plan created before they moved into the building.

Create a Fire Escape Plan

• A fire escape plan should be created for the entire building and each individual unit. While the plan may be different depending on the number of people inside the apartment, overall, the plan will remain the same based on the layout of the apartment.
• Each plan will have two escape routes from each room, including the bedrooms.
• All plans include a centralized meeting spot for all tenants.

Layout Unit Rules

• As the property manager, it’s within your rights to have specific rules pertaining to flammable objects within the building.
• Make all units smoke free. This alleviates the possibility of cigarettes being left unattended or not properly extinguished.
• Consider a rule about candles burning in the apartment. Instead of an open flame give tenants the option of wax melts or oil diffusers.
• Put a stop to space heaters, or a limit to the size of the heater allowed in the apartment building.
• Portable fireplaces are another cause for fires in small spaces. Consider restricting their use in units as well.

Using these methods of checks and balances is a great way to help prevent the possibility of a fire breaking out in one of your units. However, should a fire happen and result in the need for fire restoration services, McMahon Services is available 24/7 for Chicago and surrounding areas.

Fire Damage Restoration Company | McMahon Services and Construction of Hainesville, IL

Our fire damage experts are ready to get your property back to normal with minimal disruption to your day to day routine. Call us today for a free estimate and let us get your property back to normal as quickly as possible.