The need for fire management has become an integral part of every housing society, and this is especially true in a housing system where hundreds and thousands of people reside in close quarters.

Effective safety measures including actions or precautions should be adopted in a housing society in order to forestall any hazards or accidents and make sure that no residents are harmed, or even the buildings for that matter.

Fire Safety Measures in a Housing Society

Fire safety measures should be taken when a housing society building is being constructed; steps should be implemented to protect the structure while the building is standing; and general safety tips need to be taught to all residents in order to train them for emergencies.

There are some basic conditions that need to be fulfilled:

• Your housing society buildings should conform to the local building code.
• The upper limit tenancy within any part of the building should not be exceeded.
• Fire suppression systems should be installed (like sprinkler systems), and fire hose reels, fire hydrants, and fire extinguishers need to be provided.
• The residents of the housing society must be given lessons on how to use fire extinguishers and fire hose reels.
• Fire extinguishers should be placed in easily accessible spots so that the occupants of the housing society know about their location and can easily access it at the time of need.
• Fire extinguishers need to be checked and maintained on a monthly basis by the maintenance crew.

• Automatic fire detection and alarm systems (smoke detectors) should be installed on all floors and these will inform the occupants about the impending danger ahead of time and they will be able to evacuate the building without any mishap.
• The maintenance team should ensure that all alarms are free of dust by regularly vacuuming over and around them. They should replace the batteries in smoke alarms regularly.
• Proper exit signs should be installed as these will help the occupants to act quickly in case of a fire.
• Smoke exhaust systems can be installed on every floor as they help in minimizing the accumulation of smoke in case of fire, which could be quite dangerous and life threatening.
• Hazardous materials should be stored very carefully as they are most likely to catch fire within the building.
• Flammable materials should be monitored within the building.
• One of the important steps is to conduct fire drills throughout the year. Once this is done in a regular manner there will be less chaos during an emergency.
• The housing society management can conduct fire safety education programs for children during the weekends.

Failure to meet these safety measures will significantly affect the levels of fire safety in a housing society building and can compromise on the safety of the occupants.

Tips for Residents

You can also work towards maintaining a fire safe housing society by following these small tips.

• Don’t overload electrical systems.
• Be careful about smoking near combustible objects.
• Don’t store combustibles near equipments that emit heat, sparks or flame.
• Maintain all electrical wiring in good condition.
• Maintain your heating and cooking appliances.

Once these safety measures are followed, the housing society will be truly protected against sudden mishaps and accidents.

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