Page 8 - New England Condominium December 2020
P. 8

8 NEW ENGLAND CONDOMINIUM   -DECEMBER 2020    NEWENGLANDCONDO.COM  www.RiskStrategies.com  Specializing in    Insurance and    Risk Management   Services for:  For more information Contact  Thomas Shields | Producer  E: TShields@risk-strategies.com  P: 781-961-0314  A: 15 Pacella Park Drive,    Suite 240, Randolph, MA 02368  Bernie Gitlin | Executive VP  E: Bgitlin@risk-strategies.com  P: 781-961-0330  C  ondominiums  C  ommunity   A  ssoCiAtions  HoA C  ommunities  C  ooperAtives  www.RiskStrategies.com  Specializing in    Insurance and    Risk Management   Services for:  For more information Contact  Thomas Shields | Producer  E: TShields@risk-strategies.com  P: 781-961-0314  A: 15 Pacella Park Drive,    Suite 240, Randolph, MA 02368  Bernie Gitlin | Executive VP  E: Bgitlin@risk-strategies.com  P: 781-961-0330  C  ondominiums  C  ommunity   A  ssoCiAtions  HoA C  ommunities  C  ooperAtives  www.RiskStrategies.com  Specializing in    Insurance and    Risk Management   Services for:  For more information Contact  Thomas Shields | Producer  E: TShields@risk-strategies.com  P: 781-961-0314  A: 15 Pacella Park Drive,    Suite 240, Randolph, MA 02368  Bernie Gitlin | Executive VP  E: Bgitlin@risk-strategies.com  P: 781-961-0330  C  ondominiums  C  ommunity   A  ssoCiAtions  HoA C  ommunities  C  ooperAtives  Greater Boston’s Full Service    Condominium & Property Management Firm  617-202-3815  admin@yifmanagement.com   www.yifmanagement.com  |  •   Competitive Customized Rates!    100% Transparency!  •  •   No Unnecessary Fees!   Guaranteed Communication!   •  safety  plans  in  Massachusetts  are  the  re-  sult of local ordinances—not state require-  ments,” says Scott Wolf, a managing partner   at Brigs, a real estate management firm lo-  cated in Boston.  “The extensiveness of the   report varies by municipality. Regardless  sification as a ‘semi-fireproof’ building,”   of requirements, we believe a safety plan  says Bullock. “Rather, buildings are classed   is necessary to insure the lives of the resi-  dents.  Fire safety is your biggest concern;  most substantial difference and concern in   it’s life safety, and that’s the biggest thing  residential building fire safety is whether a   you’re looking at.”  James Bullock is a former firefighter and  ble. The size of the building doesn’t really   the president of New York Fire Safety, a con-  sulting firm that provides FEPGs to co-ops   and condominiums, as well as other types  than five or six stories, explains Bullock—  of properties throughout the tri-state area.  usually, they’re no more than five stories. In   “These plans contain perhaps three pages  a non-combustible, or ‘fireproof’ building,   on fires themselves,” he says. “The other 30  safety depends on where the fire is, because   pages or so deal with information on fire  that makes a difference in what actions resi-  safety. There are other informational sec-  tions that deal with your building systems,  not near your unit, don’t leave the building,   exit, stairs, etc. and how and what to do in  he says. It’s safer to assess the situation, stay   the event of both fire and non-fire emergen-  cies, like hurricanes, or a steam or gas leak.  tions from first responders. That’s because   Basically it’s ‘what to do’ instructions, like:  by definition, a fireproof building has fire   take your keys and close the door, don’t use  walls between units that prevent flames   elevators, and so forth.” Bullock adds that  from extending beyond the unit in which   different states and municipalities have dif-  ferent requirements for drafting and post-  ing an FEPG, but “as a fire safety profes-  sional, I certainly recommend having one.  smoky hallway, you run the risk of harm   Multifamily buildings...should have them  from smoke inhalation. You can prevent   regardless. It is critical for residents to know  smoke from coming into your apartment by   what to do in case of a fire.”  Who Creates the Plan?  Interestingly, Bullock says that even   though a given city may require an FEPG   to be done for each building, it may not   specify who has to do it. Technically, a   board or manager could draw up their own,   but according to Bullock, “The plan should   be written by a fire safety professional. I   have completed over 3,000 of these guides,   and frankly, I’ve found that when done by   someone other than a fire safety profes-  sional, 85% of the plans are incomplete or   incorrect.  For  example,  supers  often  do   FEPGs incorrectly. That’s not an accusation   against supers—it’s just that they don’t nec-  essarily have the same knowledge base as a   fire safety professional. Anyone can do it,   but it’s clearly better to work with a profes-  sional.”  Wolf concurs with Bullock on the im-  portance of working with an experienced,   qualified fire safety pro in mapping out   your individual plan, adding that in New   England,  “There are many companies that   specialize in developing these plans for in-  dividual properties. They always should be   done by a professional. We do not do them   in house.”   “The fire plan is far too important to be   done by an amateur,” adds another manage-  ment pro. “There are an excessive amount   of fire safety codes, and they change contin-  uously. You need an expert who knows and   understands all the changes. The companies   that perform this service know the rules   and regulations, egress issues, and how to   make sure a building complies with the fire   code. These companies are often run by for-  mer fire officials, and they stay on top of all   fire safety related issues.”    Building Types & Fire Safety Plans  First things first: “There is no such clas-  as combustible or non-combustible. The   property is combustible or non-combusti-  matter.”    A combustible building won’t  be  more   dents should take in the event of a fire. If it’s   in  your  apartment,  and  wait  for  instruc-  they originated. These barriers are meant   to contain an actual fire—but if you leave   the safety of your apartment and go into a   putting a towel in the gap under the front   door. Of course, if the fire is in your unit,   you should leave the building immediately.   By contrast, if you are in a combustible,   non-fireproof building, you should evacu-  ate  the  building  immediately at  the  first   sign of a fire. And no matter what the size   or classification of your building, always   be aware of and follow your FEGP instruc-  tions—and most importantly, never get into   an elevator during a fire. “Don’t use eleva-  tors unless instructed,” says Bullock. “They   aren’t used in a fire at all. Do not enter an   elevator during a fire, ever.”  Fire safety should be one of the primary   emergency plans your co-op corporation   or condominium association prepares.   Once done, it’s done—though it may re-  quire updating from time to time, and resi-  dents should be regularly reminded of your   building’s FEGP. Check with management   to confirm that your building has one.  If   it doesn’t, lobby your board to get one in   place. It may be a cliche, but when it comes   to fire safety, an ounce of prevention really   is worth a pound of cure.     n  A J Sidransky is a staff writer/reporter for   New England Condominium, and a published   novelist.   FIRE SAFETY...  continued from page 1


































































































   6   7   8   9   10