Apartment Safety: Fire Prevention Tips
While many aspects of fire safety are the same regardless of the type of home, there are certain things that need special consideration when you rent an apartment. Apartment living can create escape challenges. And so, it is important to learn about apartment fire safety and prevention to minimise the risks.
KNOW THE LANDLORD’S RESPONSIBILITY
- Landlords have the responsibility to make the apartment habitable and free of hazards.
- Landlords must make sure that buildings comply with all building codes and that heating and cooling facilities are in safe, working order.
- Landlords must repair any malfunctioning structural components, such as plumbing systems and electrical systems. Landlords also have to respond promptly to maintenance requests.
- Landlords must conduct regular fire safety checks.
TENANT’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR FORE PREVENTION
- Renters must act responsibly inside the apartment and try not to create unsafe living conditions. This includes caution while cooking in the kitchen, careful use of electrical appliances and mindful use of open flame candles.
- Renters are responsible for reporting any potential fire hazards to the landlord so that the landlord can take the appropriate action to resolve it.
- Renters should check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors inside the apartment to ensure they are not expired. Renters should report expired alarms and detectors to the landlord and have them replaced.
- A fireplace and chimney inside an apartment need to be maintained regularly. Renters should ensure that landlords comply with a regular maintenance schedule.
- Renters must allow landlords access to the apartment to fix issues.
FIRE PREVENTION TIPS
- Never position space heaters near flammable materials such as curtains, furniture or rugs. Always use the correct electrical outlet for a space heater and maintain a three-foot distance from it.
- Never store propane, kerosene or other flammable materials inside your apartment.
- Do not run cords under rugs. Do not overload circuits with too many plugs and never use cords that are damaged, frayed, or cracked.
- Never leave food cooking on the stove unattended. Keep the stove top and oven free of grease and oil. If a grease fire starts, never pour water on it. Cover the pan, turn off the heat, and leave it on the stove until it cools.
- Remove and clean the lint filter in the dryer regularly.
- Never leave candles burning unattended. Do not light candles if there is an oxygen container being used in the room. Position candles at least one foot away from anything combustible and always keep candles out of reach of children and pets.
- Ideally, don’t smoke cigarettes inside your apartment. If you must smoke inside, never smoke in bed. Always ensure that smoking materials are completely extinguished and safely disposed.
- Keep matches and lighters away from children.
- Keep a fire extinguisher in your apartment to manage small fires.
HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN
- Pull the fire alarm in the hallway in the event of a fire – this is not just for you but for the apartment fire safety of others living in the building.
- Check to see if the building has an evacuation plan. If an evacuation plan doesn’t exist, create one for the apartment building and share it.
- Locate the fire exit door nearest to your apartment, and then look around to find all of the exit doors. Don’t assume you’ll be able to use the closest exit door.
- Count the doors between your apartment and the nearest fire exit so you can find your way out if the hallway is filled with smoke and you can’t see.
- Always feel doors before you open them. Never open a warm door or prop open stairway and exit doors in the event of an emergency. If you can’t exit, place blankets or rugs under the door crack to keep smoke out.
- Apartment-dwellers living on upper floors might want to invest in an escape ladder that hangs out a window to reach the ground without having to exit through the hallway and stairs.
- Never block fire escape windows with furniture and ensure that you can easily open windows from inside.
AFTER ESCAPING FIRE
- Once you have evacuated the building in the event of a fire, never go back inside for any reason.
- Call 997 from outside the building after you’ve evacuated.
- Alert firefighters if other tenants are still in the building.
- Don’t return to your apartment until firefighters say that it’s safe to return.
CONCLUSION
Therefore, if you’re planning on renting or even owning an apartment in the region, the considerations above apply. Whether you’re looking for an apartment in Dubai, one in Sharjah or anywhere else in the UAE. No exceptions for fire safety considerations.
Planning accordingly in advance can be the make or break difference between the outcomes in the event of a fire. The implications being that despite the tediousness of preventative measures, the alternative could be catastrophic.
For more useful tips and insights for life in the UAE, stay tuned to MyBayut.
