Condominium Fire Sprinkler Systems: Clarity for a Confusing Situation

One benefit people often cite about living in a condominium is that they do not have to do outdoor maintenance, including shovelling snow during Ontario’s long winters. They also acknowledge that living on one of the higher floors of a condominium increases their risk of injury or death in a fire. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) backs up this concern with its report that 62 percent of all high-rise building fires occur in apartments and condominiums.

Fire Safety Training for Residents and Property Managers

Larger condominium buildings typically have staff living on-site to respond to maintenance requests, answer basic questions, and handle emergencies. Each staff person should receive extensive training about fire safety and make that information available to all new residents. Making the completion of an online course with a quiz on fire safety part of the move-in checklist is a good way to accomplish this goal.

Every person living or working in the building should know the location of the fire exits, escape routes, and emergency doors. They should also be able to locate fire extinguishers and use them quickly before exiting the building if it is safe to do so.

Alarm and Sprinkler System Requirements for Condominiums

Every condo building under the control of a property management company should have a sprinkler system installed in the ceiling of all private units and common areas. When the system detects smoke or flames, it immediately notifies residents through a loud alarm and disburses hundreds of gallons of water.

The typical sprinkler system releases 60 gallons of water per minute and will continue to do so until someone manually turns it off. The Shutgun.ca fire sprinkler shut off tool allows condo staff to turn the overhead sprinklers off within seconds if they determine the fire does not require so much water to extinguish.

Smoke detectors should be in every individual unit and on the ceiling of common areas. They connect to the sprinkler system to warn staff and residents to vacate the building due to the detection of smoke or flames. The staff of condo buildings must also ensure that a portable fire extinguisher is available on every floor.

Escape Routes and Exits

The owner of a condominium must post a map on every floor outlining the route people need to take in case of a fire. Staff must also have the training to assist vulnerable people with getting out of the building, such as those who use a wheelchair or an oxygen tank. Lighted fire exit signs must be present in all hallways to point staff and residents towards safety.

Avoid Thousands of Dollars in Water Damage with Our Fire Sprinkler Shut Off Tool

According to the NFPA, most fires are small and easy to extinguish. However, it takes the typical Ontario fire department 20 minutes to arrive at the address of the reported fire. The result could be water damage that is expensive or impossible to fix because the sprinkler system kicked in automatically and operated for longer than necessary. Shotgun.ca invites condo owners to learn more about our fire sprinkler shut off tool by visiting our online store today. We have several sizes and styles available.

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