MAINTENANCE
“There are more fire deaths that have
occurred in corridors due to flammable decorations than people staying in their suites.”
A fire recently occurred in such a building that transformed into a more senior demographic over the years. Deputy Chief Carrie Clark of the Barrie Fire Department was on the scene. “50 out of 75 units needed assistance in evacuating during an actual fire event,” she said during an online session hosted by CCI Huronia in March. “That’s pretty significant, resource - heav y for a fire department to actualize.” To keep up, corporations should be attuned to all types of changes. As Jeff Struewing, vice-president of Shore to Slope Management Services, noted, plans may also need an overhaul if building systems are updated or renovations alter the layout of floors or rooms. Updating the plan with a reputable fire code consultant who is in-the-know on code changes is key to avoiding liability and staying safe, added Murray Johnson, vice-president of client services Crossbridge Condominium Services. Communicating fire code compliance to residents is critical, he said, and can be accomplished through the annual distribution of the resident emergency res p o nsib ilit y instr u c tio ns an d the assistance required forms. “Going even further, if you’ve got nothing to put on the bulletin board, do an educational campaign. Let them know about all the things in their unit they may be responsible for.” O w ners should o bt ain c o pies of f i re s a fe t y p o l i c i e s t h a t a d d r e s s how to resp ond to deficienc y lists and emergencies, he s aid. For the information to become second nature, managers should also reinforce fire code compliance with staff at regularly
scheduled meetings, and dedicate an ongoing section in the management report to keep the topic at the forefront of a community. Don’t Just Solve Deficiencies. Prevent Them. “High - r ise b uil d in g s h ave c o m p l ex systems that both directly and indirectly af fec t fire c o de c ompliance,” s aid Johnson, citing generators, sprinkler systems, fire pumps, doors and soft skills like training as examples. Gather all records into one central binder to hand over when a fire inspector requests it, including proof of repairs. Going beyond minimum standards, work to address a notice of violation, but also prevent it from recurring. Having processes in place ensures both safety and optics ahead of an inspection. To catch deficiencies ahead of time, one example is creating door logs (doors need to close and latch under their own power) and asking cleaning staf f to check chute and stairwell doors as part of their routine, or HVAC staff and fire inspectors to check and log suite doors when visiting every year. He also detailed how a manager’s annual plan should include checking the fire safety plan and other related items like inspections. Highlight all fire-related tasks and file a copy of that fire plan into the centralized record-keeping system. “That way, not only will the inspector see what the logs and records show, they’ll also see how you’ve planned out your year,” he said. “Know your building and know the people in your building,” said Clark.
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