As we heard the fire truck alarm bells ring through the streets the other day (thankfully, not to a No Fee Rental apartment), we were reminded how important fire safety is to protecting lives and the contents of your rental apartment. All tenants – whether a single in a studio or four renters in a multi bedroom share– are given a Fire Safety Plan upon signing their rental apartment lease, but we can never reinforce these key points too much.
A FIRE SAFETY PLAN includes:
- Basic fire prevention and fire preparedness measures that will reduce the risk of fire and maximize your safety in the event of a fire.
- Basic information about your building, including the type of construction, the different ways of exiting the building, and the types of fire safety systems it may have.
- Emergency fire safety and evacuation instructions in the event of fire in your building.
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ YOUR FIRE SAFETY PLAN AND TO DISCUSS IT WITH THE MEMBERS OF YOUR APARTMENT. FIRE PREVENTION, PREPAREDNESS, AND AWARENESS CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE! IN THE EVENT OF A FIRE, CALL 911
These are fire safety tips that everybody should follow:
- Every apartment is equipped with at least one smoke detector. Check them periodically to make sure they work. Most smoke detectors can be tested by pressing the test button. Replace the batteries in the spring and fall when clocks are moved forward or back an hour, and whenever a smoke detector chirps to signal that its battery is low.
- Carelessly handled or discarded cigarettes are the leading cause of fire deaths. Never smoke in bed or when you are drowsy, and be especially careful when smoking on a sofa. Be sure that you completely extinguish every cigarette in an ashtray that is deep and won’t tip over. Never leave a lit or smoldering cigarette on furniture.
- Matches and lighters can be deadly in the hands of children. Store them out of reach of children and teach them about the danger of fire.
- Do not leave cooking unattended. Keep your stove top clean and free of items that can catch on fire. Before you go to bed, check your kitchen to ensure that the oven is off and coffeemakers unplugged.
- Never overload electrical outlets. Replace any electrical cord that is cracked or frayed. Never run extension cords under rugs. Use only power strips with circuit-breakers.
- Keep all doorways and windows leading to fire escapes free of obstructions, and report to the No Fee Rental management office any obstructions or accumulations of rubbish in the hallways, stairwells, fire escapes or other means of egress (i.e., exiting the building).
- Familiarize yourself and members of your apartment with the location of all stairwells, fire escapes and other means of egress.
- With the members of your apartment, prepare an emergency escape route to use in the event of a fire in the building. Choose a meeting place a safe distance from the apartment building where you should all meet in case you get separated during a fire.
Refer to your Fire Safety Plan about evacuation procedures
If you can’t locate your Fire Safety Plan, please contact the No Fee Rental office and we will provide you with another copy.
And remember, in case there is a fire, it is important to stay calm and follow the directions of the New York City firefighters. Your safety is our primary concern.