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Fire Safety

With spring upon us, it is a good time for a fire safety reminder. Now that we are leaving behind those winter blues, completing some spring cleaning and enjoying the fresh air — now is a great time to help ensure the safety of your home.

An important safety feature in any home is the smoke detector. Smoke detectors provide the first warning signs of a fire if they are properly tested and maintained.

Smoke alarms only save lives if they work! To ensure everyone’s safety, the following are some tips to keep in mind when thinking about smoke detectors:

should be checked and tested on a monthly basis
if battery operated, the batteries should be changed once a year
also keep in mind that smoke detectors expire every ten years. It is important to change them once they expire to help ensure the safety of everyone.

Smoke Alarms Save Lives

In situations where you have a personal fire extinguisher or a property with them, this is a great time of year to ensure they are inspected and working properly. Yearly maintenance and inspection is an annual safety requirement for all extinguishers. Fire extinguishers that have been discharged need to be inspected and recharged by a qualified technician.

Emerald Management & Realty Ltd. sends annual reminders to tenants about smoke detectors and completes the required safety inspections as needed. For more information about fire safety read Do you know what to do if there is a fire in your Building.

Spring Forward

This weekend is Daylight Savings!

At 2 AM on Sunday, March 10, 2019 our clocks spring forward. While you are changing your clocks and other timepieces, take the opportunity to also check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

It takes just a few seconds to press the “test” button on your alarms to make sure they work. If you have battery operated smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, don’t put off for tomorrow what you can do today — replace the batteries.

Important tips when it comes to smoke detectors:

Change your smoke alarm every 10 years.
Never use a rechargeable battery.
Install smoke alarms in hallways, near bedrooms and ensure nothing will block smoke from reaching the detector.

These simple tips will help protect yourself and family members from fire and carbon monoxide dangers in your home. Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors can only alert you of dangers and give you time to escape … if … they … work.

Looking for more fire safety tips from Emerald Management & Realty Ltd., read Every second counts, plan 2 ways out

Whether its spring forward or back, changing your clocks is a great reminder to also test your smoke and carbo monoxide detectors.

Recently, there have been multiple incidents in condo and apartment buildings where cigarette butts were thrown from balconies and landed in dry planters … which in turn caught fire (providing us a great opportunity to remind smokers that it is very important that they make sure cigarette debris is always disposed of in a fire proof container and properly extinguished).

Fire safety tips in your rental property

… Be prepared so you know what to do before a fire starts!

To prepare yourself so that you know what to do in the event there is a fire in your condo unit you can:

Be familiar with all exits from your floor (Plan more than 1 way out — just in case one of the exits is blocked by fire or smoke).
In the event you are unable to leave your home, make sure everyone knows to call 9-1-1 for further instruction and assistance.
Learn about the fire safety features in your unit and in the building (i.e.) fire alarms, fire sprinklers, location of extinguishers, etc.
If you find a fire exit blocked by clutter or a door requires repair, contact your property manager immediately.
Purchase a multi-purpose fire extinguisher for your kitchen and keep it accessible.
Test your smoke alarm monthly by pressing the test button and clean it every 6 months. Mark it on your calendar so that you don’t forget and make it a habit of changing your batteries at least annually. Remember that your alarm won’t be able to protect you if it has no power or the batteries are burnt out.

House fires kill and injure thousands every year … and many more are impacted by the loss of valued memories and personal possessions in fire related incidents that could have easily been avoided. In a fire, every second counts … make sure your fire safety knowledge is up to date by visiting the Fire Prevention Canada website for more information.

Reminder: Your condominium bylaws (and your mortgage) outline your responsibility to carry adequate insurance. It is recommended that you review the Bylaws with your insurance agent to make sure that you have the right coverage in place.

Emerald Management & Realty Ltd., has partnered with Nuera Insurance to help provide a convenient way to purchase insurance in a matter of minutes! To receive a quote on-line, visit Nuera’s website and click on “Get a Quote”. For our valued clients, please contact your property manager to receive a discount code for your insurance policy placed with Nuera. If you have questions about your insurance responsibilities, please contact our property manager or review your bylaws for more information.

October 9-14, 2017 is Fire Prevention Week and Calgary Fire Fighters are working hard to remind residents of the importance of smoke detectors and knowing your evacuation route.

House fires kill and injure thousands every year … and many more are impacted by the loss of valued memories and personal possessions in fire related incidents that could have easily been avoided.

Whether you live in a house, townhouse, apartment, condominium, or commercial office – awareness combined with smoke & fire alarms perform the life-saving function of alerting residents and building occupants of a fire.

Every second counts …

Having properly placed and working smoke alarms is a very important safety and potentially life-saving precaution. While many people may think that they will know when a fire starts in their residence, this isn’t always the case. Every second counts, because if there is a fire in your home, smoke spreads fast – really fast, doubling in size every 30 to 60 seconds.

The following 5 Tips from Fire Prevention Canada are essential to making sure your smoke alarm works:

Test your smoke alarm monthly by pressing the test button and clean it every 6 months. Make yourself and reminder and mark it on your calendar so that you don’t forget.
Ensure that power is being transmitted to the alarm and that it will activate in the presence of smoke.
Make it a habit of changing your batteries annually or earlier if they need replacing. Remember that your alarm won’t be able to protect you if it has no power or the batteries are burnt out.
The lifespan of a typical smoke alarm is about 10 years, but some models last as little as 5 years. Learn how to determine your smoke alarm’s age by checking out FEMA’s Infographic: ‘Don’t Wait Check the Date’
To clean your smoke detector, open the cover and gently vacuum the interior of it. Be mindful that the alarm might sound while the unit is being cleaned.

Plan 2 ways out …

Before your smoke alarm sounds and a real emergency happens, plan an escape route and run fire drills. If possible, figure out two ways to exit every room. Make sure everyone in the household understands and can run through the escape route. The practice should include a safe post-exit meeting place outside.

In the event you are unable to leave your home, or in a life threatening situation, make sure everyone knows to call 9-1-1 for further instruction and assistance.

We’ve heard it again and again: smoke detectors save lives. Smoke detectors that are properly installed and maintained play a vital role in reducing fire deaths and injuries. If there is a fire in your home, you need to know how to get our as experts say you could have less than two minutes to escape a home fire from the time the smoke alarm sounds.

For more information on fire prevention and safety, visit The National Fire Prevention Association