Indian River Canvases Long Neck Apartments - "Fire Safety with Apartment Living"

On Tuesday, February 23^rd, the Fire Prevention Team in and for the Indian River Volunteer Fire Company canvassed the Long Neck Apartments and their entire building complex with a Community Outreach Effort to enhance and refine the residential awareness of residents.  The canvas touched approximately 60 units and the theme was “Fire Safety with Apartment Living.”

Fire Safety is critical in just about every setting. But when it comes to apartment building fire safety, there are specific things to consider, such as longer egress times, evacuation procedures, fire control and smoke movement through the building. In apartment buildings, fires can spread heat, flames and smoke quickly throughout the entire building, affecting all occupants’ safety.

Apartment Fire Safety Tips

You may be well-versed in fire safety tips for homes but living in an apartment building presents a different set of concerns that you need to acknowledge, especially for those who live on a high floor of an apartment building. You can help protect and prepare yourself in the event of an emergency in your apartment building by following the precautions below:

1. Install Reliable Protection

Do your part in making sure your apartment has working smoke and co alarms installed. Alarms should be on every level for multi-story apartments, as well as outside each sleeping area and in every bedroom. Test your alarms monthly and change the batteries every six months, or upgrade to our 10-year sealed battery alarms for hassle free protection. Fire extinguishers should also be on every level of your apartment and in the kitchen. Have your kitchen fire extinguisher easily accessible in the event of a cooking fire.

2. Have An Escape Plan

If a fire were to start in your apartment building, do you know what your escape route would be? Start by counting the number of doors between your unit and the nearest fire exit. Look around your floor to make sure you know where all of the exit doors are, and establish an evacuation plan that you practice regularly. If a fire does start, don’t prop-open any exit or stairway doors. If you are located on a high floor, consider investing in an escape ladder for your window.

3. Stay Outside

Once you have safely evacuated your building, call 9-1-1 and do not go back inside. If you are worried someone is still inside, make sure to alert firefighters where you think they are. Only go back inside once firefighters tell you that it is safe to do so.

Apartment Fire Prevention

Help protect yourself and prevent fires from starting in your apartment with the following tips:

• Use surge protectors to keep appliances safe

• Don’t overload circuits

• Don’t use cords that are frayed or cracked

• Don’t run cords under rugs or between rooms

• Never leave a portable space heater unattended

• Ensure children cannot reach matches or lighters

• Don’t store flammable items inside of your apartment

• Never leave candles burning unattended

• If you are cooking something, don’t leave food unattended on the stove