Home Properties is pleased to announce that it is in the final stages of implementing a company-wide fire prevention safety initiative. As of January 2010, each Home Properties apartment and townhome will be equipped with its own fire extinguisher. The safety initiative is one of the largest prevention programs to be implemented by Home Properties to date.
“We closely evaluated industry statistics, as well as our own experiences, and identified the tremendous impact that residential fire can have on everyone, especially our residents,” says Home Properties’ Environmental Health & Safety Director, Mark Davies.
According to Davies, part of the initial investigation conducted by the company included an evaluation of a number of Home Properties’ apartment communities that already had residential fire extinguishers.
“We found that a number of residents in those communities had been successful in putting out a small fire at some point. After taking a closer look at the results of the survey and some additional statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), we were convinced that our investment in this safety initiative would have a significant impact on our residents, especially as it relates to fire prevention and loss of property.”
As a result of further research, Home Properties determined that the best placement of fire extinguishers would be within the kitchen area of each apartment and townhome. The safety program was officially launched at the end of October and despite having a large volume of fire extinguishers to install, the program has seen a quick implementation.
Davies says Home Properties, which purchased approximately 34,000 fire extinguishers, expects to have most of the fire extinguishers installed by January 2010.
Davies says the residents have embraced the program.
“We haven’t had any complaints from our residents,” says Davies. “I think a lot of that has to do with our communication efforts. As part of the program, we distributed a frequently asked question (FAQ) document that was specifically designed to address any internal questions from our property management teams prior to the beginning of the installation process.”
A strong marketing effort provided education about residential kitchen fires, the impact of such events, and how to prevent them.
Davies says residents can expect to see more helpful safety initiatives introduced in the coming months, such as a candle safety program that recommends flameless candles.
“These candles smell just like the real deal, and they’re a safe and cost-effective alternative to traditional candles,” Davies says.
Home Properties is in the process of integrating a new renters’ insurance component as part of its leasing program.