If you live in an apartment comp
lex or a multi-family home, you are responsible for keeping your family safe from potential fire threats as well as the people around you.
Although multi-family homes and apartments are affordable and practical for many people, they can also pose as a big fire threat. People that live within them live close together and one small fire can result in a major fire for all residents. It is important that you understand how to keep your family and your neighbor’s safe.
Be Aware of Your Exit
If a fire starts in an apartment building or a multi-family home, the entire building will likely be evacuated. It is important to understand what exit doors you should be using in the event that a fire starts so you can get out of the building safely. You should also know where the stairs and the fire escape are if you live on a higher floor. You should never take an elevator in the event of a fire.
Understand Your Fire Doors
Apartment buildings and multi-family homes typically have fire doors within them. (Especially common in fire doors) Fire doors should prevent fires from spreading into other sections of the building. You should understand where the fire doors are so you do not open one accidentally during a fire.
Avoid Security Gates
Security can be a major concern for families and residents in apartment buildings or multi-family homes. Although you might feel that installing security bars will help keep your family safe from intruders, they can also prevent you from getting out of your space and prevent firefighters from getting into it when using a window is necessary. If possible, we recommend avoiding this form of security. However, some states will approve security gates that can be opened with a key to make them safer.
Make Your Space Safe
Even if you live in an apartment building or multi-family unit that a landlord is responsible for, you have to do what you can to protect yourself and your family. Make sure that you are testing your smoke alarms on a regular basis to ensure they are working properly. If you notice something blocking an exit door, take the time to move it out of the way. Purchase a small fire extinguisher to have on hand for emergencies.
If you are a landlord looking to protect your building and your residents from potential fire threats, contact Beach Lake Sprinkler to install a sprinkler system which is the top form of fire prevention.
