Fire can be a fear of residents within a homeowners association. They can break out in all sorts of situations, so it’s always good to remind owners in your community about fire safety. Did you know that nearly two-thirds of all kitchen fires start on the range or cook top? To prevent fires in your […]
The Condominium Fire Sprinkler Retrofit – A Continuing Saga (FL)
Each week, I receive a multitude of calls and e-mails from condominium association clients, and non-clients alike, regarding the condominium fire sprinkler retrofit requirements. The confusion arises because of a 2010 amendment to section 718.112 of the Florida Statutes which, prior to 2010, provided an opportunity to condominium associations whose condominium building was greater than […]
Older high-rise condos, co-ops must vote to opt out or install fire sprinklers (FL)
One major fallout of the quiet session was the lack of any new bill extending the ability of associations to take a membership opt-out vote to avoid having to install expensive fire sprinklers in high-rise residences. In the past, every few years the Legislature amended the applicable statute which extended the opt-out vote since 2002. […]
(CA S.F.) Supervisors Approve Tenant Protections Against Fires
Under Campos’ measure, property owners will have to notify their tenants of existing requirements for smoke alarms, and file reports on their compliance with the city every two years. Tang’s measure requires landlords and homeowners’ associations to provide information about fire safety to residents of buildings with three units or more, and ups the requirement […]
Deadline to Opt Out of Fire Sprinkler Retrofitting Approaches for Condominiums (FL)
When it comes to fire safety in residential condominiums, confusion and many questions have emerged surrounding the requirement to retrofit a fire sprinkler. One thing is certain, in order for a qualifying condominium to opt out of the requirement, it must conduct an opt out vote by December 31, 2016. Read the article………….
Fireplace Safety in Your Home and HOA Community
For many, the essence of winter is curling up next to the warmth of a crackling fireplace while enjoying the sights of the snow-dusted scenery outside. Unless of course you live in a Arizona or Texas, in which case it’s much less likely that your home will have a fireplace. If you do have a […]
Condominium Fire Sprinkler Retrofitting in Florida
In 2003, the Florida Legislature enacted 718.112(2)(l) as a statutory scheme to require the retrofitting of fire sprinklers for residential condominiums. The statute first began specified that the condominium association may not vote to forego such retrofitting with a fire sprinkler system of common areas in “high-rise building” which was defined as “greater than 75 […]
Grilling on the Balcony: What is Permissible in Florida Condominiums?
Question: My unit has a screened balcony (some people call it a “lanai”). I understand that I cannot use a gas grill out there, but I enjoy using my electric grill when the weather is nice. The association recently published an article in our monthly newsletter that stated that we are no longer allowed to […]
Condo building evacuated ‘inadvertently’ during small fire (IL)
For the second time in the past year, Chicago firefighters have apparently used a building’s voice communication system incorrectly. Last February, residents of Marina City heard no announcements during a small but smoky fire. On Sunday, they heard announcements all right, but were mistakenly told to evacuate. Read the article………..
Six Things to Know About Fire Hydrants
Aside from knowing to not park next to one, how deep is your knowledge of fire hydrants? Unless you’re a firefighter, it’s probably not that extensive. Read the article………..
How safe is your fireplace?
A chimney fire announces its presence in a very dramatic way. The sound is described like the rumbling of a passing locomotive or the roar of a jet engine. It’s a sound that is familiar to Augusta County resident Dan Ruff whose home experienced a chimney fire in January. Read the article…………….
Keep the Home Fires Safely Burning in Your Homeowners Association
Do the homes in your homeowners association have fireplaces? One of winter’s great pleasures is relaxing in front of a warm, cozy fire. For most months of the year the fireplace stands idle, and these long periods of disuse can lead to hazardous conditions when members light their first fire of the season. Read the […]
Maintaining Your Condominium Fire Alarm System
One of the most important fire protection systems you can install in your building or condominium is a fire alarm system. A fire alarm system is a quick-response method of alerting the occupants in your building of a fire so they can get to safety as quickly as possible. Read the article……………
Simple Safety Tips to Avoid House Fires in Your Homeowners Association
An HOA board is responsible for many things in a homeowners association. One of the most important is the safety of residents. In addition to just encouraging residents to watch out for each other, a Board can be proactive about educating homeowners too. Read the article………..
Smoke Detectors and Sprinkler Systems: Protecting Lives and Property
When a fire erupts in a Chicago building, it’s terrifying but it doesn’t have to be deadly. There are a few essentials that can save the lives of the people who are inside that building: namely, a working smoke detector and a sprinkler system. Read the article………..
Chimney Safety Tips for Homeowners Association Residents
There is nothing as serene as a warm, crackling fire on a cold, winter night. There is also nothing more dangerous if your chimney is damaged. When is the last time that you have checked on your chimney safety in the homeowners association? Read more………
Where There’s Smoke… Developing Sound Fire Safety Policies
One only needs to watch the news regularly to understand the devastation that a fire can have on a home or community whatever the time of year. A condo fire in October in Dunellen injured a firefighter and destroyed much of the complex, leaving many of the residents homeless. Read more……….
Are The Homes At Your HOA FIre Safe?
Over the years a number of our condo and homeowner association clients have suffered the loss of homes or units as a result the fires. Some of these fires were as a result of smoking in bed, a couple of them as result of propane tanks leaking or exploding, some from clogged dryer vents, bad […]
Condo tragedy: Sprinkler system a small price to pay
While we mourn the two lives lost in the inferno at the Woodcrest condominiums in Chelmsford Saturday night, we can’t help but wonder if the outcome would have been different had there been a sprinkler system in place. Fire officials have ruled the blaze that killed Susan Astle and Paul Deslauriers accidental, but they also […]
Too Hot to Handle! Fire Safety for Multifamily Buildings
The discovery of fire is considered a major turning point in man’s evolution from cave dweller to outer space explorer. Control of fire allowed early man warmth for his habitat, a way to cook his meals, and light for his surroundings. Fire also provided a means to frighten away predators and introduced a social element […]
California’s New Fire Prevention “Fee”
Homeowners in California should be expecting a new bill in their mailbox for the calendar year 2011 and onward. The California legislature has passed a controversial new Fire Prevention Fee which will aim to defray the State’s costs for fire prevention services. Read More……
Wildfire App catches Fire
The 2012 wildfire season was one of the worst on record, leaving the people at the American Red Cross busy devising new and innovative ways to get information to people faster. As a response to the growing use of technology, they have created the “Wildfire App.” Read More……
5 ways homeowners can protect against wildfires
Wildfires have become a tragic part of the daily news lately. They can strike anywhere, at any time, with no warning. State and federal firefighting budgets are stretched to the max as well, so it’s more important than ever that you do everything you can to ensure that your home is as safe as possible. […]
Should Condo Associations Be More Proactive in Fire Prevention
In going back over the news stories for January, I was surprised to find that there were more condominium fires in those 31 days, than in any previous month during the 10 years I’ve been tracking those stories. I was surprised because I would have thought that with the mild weather, the usual causes of […]