There are great apartment communities in Frisco, Highland Village, and Dallas, where many of our local citizens reside in. If you live in an apartment community, it is important to be aware of fire safety practices to keep you and your belongings safe. The fire safety rules for living in an apartment are different than living in a house because the building is likely much bigger than an average home. When avoiding fire hazards in an apartment, there are many factors to consider because you are very close to other residents, and the evacuation routes may be complicated. Living in an apartment also poses a certain risk because a fire in one apartment can quickly spread to someone else’s apartment; to stay safe and prepared and prevent costly fire damage to your apartment home, follow our tips for safe apartment living.
Apartment Fire Prevention and Safety
When you first move into an apartment, there are many things you can do immediately to ensure your home is not at risk for avoidable fires. It is important that you routinely go over each of these tips, probably every 6 months.
- Check that your apartment has at least one working smoke alarm. If your smoke alarm does not work or appears damaged, immediately talk to your apartment’s manager to have it replaced.
- Review your apartment’s fire escape route. Every apartment community should have a fire escape plan for your apartment home. If you cannot find it, request one from your property manager. Go over each window in your apartment to ensure it works properly. Review the escape route and practice it with the members of your home. Be sure that you can quickly and easily access your building’s stairwell.
- Review and abide by your apartment’s fire safety rules. Be sure not to smoke in your apartment if this is under your leasing agreement. Many apartments do not allow grills on balconies because it is a fire hazard. Report any fire hazards to management to keep everyone safe.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Be sure that your apartment’s exit signs are properly lit up, and let your property manager know if you cannot locate them. Be sure to locate manual emergency fire alarm boxes on your apartment building’s floor. Count how many apartments are between you and the exit to inform emergency responders. Know your own apartment floor and number.
- Practice basic fire prevention methods. Be sure to follow all regular fire safety tips, including checking all electrical cords and outlets to ensure they are in good shape, never leaving a stove unattended, and keeping candles, space heaters, and other heat sources away from flammable objects. Consider using alternatives to candles, such as flameless candles or essential oils.
Apartment Fire Preparedness
Unfortunately, apartment fires do happen. Even the most prepared homes fall victim to fire catastrophes. In the event that a fire does occur in your apartment or building, there are a few things you should do in order to keep you and your neighbors safe.
- Check the temperature of all doors before exiting them. If you feel that a door is hot to touch, DO NOT open it. Immediately call 911 and let them know you cannot exit your building. You can cautiously open the door and exit the building if the handle feels cool.
- Stuff the cracks with bedding or towels. In the event that you are stuck in your building during a fire, fill the gaps and cracks in the doors.
- Do not prop doors open. Close all doors on your way out, and be sure that no doors are left open. Open doors will allow fire and smoke to spread throughout the apartment building quickly.
- Never use the elevator. Always use the stairs when exiting the building during an apartment fire.
- Lay low and meet outside. If you are exiting the building in the event of a fire, remain close to the ground, follow your apartment’s escape route, and meet with other community members outside.
Remember, apartment fire safety requires all members of the community to practice fire safety precautions. If you find your apartment home and its belongings suffering from fire damage, contact Mr. Restore. We have over 50 years of fire damage experience, and our expert technicians will ensure you and your family recover quickly from any fire damage your apartment may experience. Mr. Restore is a full-service restoration company, meaning we not only assess and fix the damage to your home but also repair and build afterward.
