I can confidently say that your building WILL be inspected by the fire department in 2023.
Will you be ready?
A spike in the number of residential fires has put an unprecedented amount of pressure on fire departments to keep us all safe. As a result, Fire departments are performing more inspections than ever, while the fine amounts across Ontario have increased. At the same time, most property managers and condo boards are not getting more than a day or two of notice prior to their inspection.
You can’t get back the time and money you will spend chasing contractors to immediately take care of deficiencies and provide records, nor the time and money you could lose in the worst-case scenario: Preparing for court.
This means that there has never been a better time to invest in your building’s fire safety culture, particularly if you have any budget whatsoever left over from 2022.
Not sure where to invest it? Here are a few ideas.
A Building Audit/ Assessment BEFORE The Fire Department Arrives
The best way for a stress-free, fine-free, and inspection-order-free inspection from the fire department is to have a fire safety consultant take a comprehensive look at your building.
If you haven’t really looked at your life safety system over the last few years, you will almost certainly have several things that need to be addressed.
The bottom line: Make sure these problems are found right now by us, so they won’t be found by the fire department during an inspection, when the stakes are much higher.
This could include small things like building residents propping doors open, or electrical rooms being too cluttered. Or, it could be much larger problems like mechanical/ system issues with your doors or elevators.
Find them now before they become a fine later.
Train/ Retrain Your Staff
At the end of the day, your staff are the ones taking care of your regular inspections and maintaining your documentation.
More importantly, they are the ones that need to know exactly how to act and respond in an emergency situation.
When was the last time your staff was trained on fire safety, and their roles and responsibilities? And how many employees have come and gone since then?
Get your staff trained as soon as possible. But, more importantly, teach them how to properly maintain high standards, so they can train the next wave of building employees.
Update Your Fire Safety Plan
Did you know that your fire safety plan has to be reviewed annually? It also has to be amended to include any changes in the building that impact that fire safety plan.
This could mean just about anything. It could be something obvious like new elevators being installed, or something less obvious like a new commercial space being used off the lobby.
Keeping this as up-to-date as possible will help keep your building as safe and compliant as possible.
How FCS Can Make This Happen Before 2023
We can advise you on the best places to allocate your budget.
If you’re worried that you simply don’t have time to schedule an assessment or arrange on-site visits before December 31st, don’t worry. You don’t have to.
FCS can issue a purchase order in 2022, and arrange to do the actual work in 2023 at a time that works for you.
That being said, don’t leave it TOO long. Keep in mind that the fire department will be showing up at some point in the new year, probably with little-to-no notice. If you can show them that you have been proactive and have already retained fire safety professionals to help you address any deficiencies, the fire department is more likely to be lenient when they find issues.
… If you simply say, “We’ve been meaning to get to that,” they are less likely to be lenient.
Also, it’s important to remember that some of the changes you may need to make may take time to implement. If you can’t start right now, make it your biggest priority for the new year.
Let’s Talk Before the End of the Year
We specialize in helping building owners and managers just like you ensure their buildings are as safe and compliant as possible. We know you don’t have time to worry about every aspect of the fire code, so we do it for you!
To set yourself up for an amazing 2023, please feel free to reach out to admin@fcsfire.com or 1-800-281-8863.
