Apartment Living Safety Tips

Your apartment is your home. Whether you are a resident for one year or ten years, the community in which you reside is your home and your fellow residents are an extension of your family. Safety is important. Whether it’s in your home, around the property or when entering and leaving the community. Safety has many definitions. For instance, you may consider safety as crime related only. What about fire safety, traffic/vehicle safety, or building safety such as eliminating trip hazards, plumbing leaks and sewer back-ups to name a few. If our residents work closely with the property staff, safety issues of any kind can be minimized. This year please resolve to be better acquainted with property staff who are dedicated to serving your needs. Work together and communicate. You will be surprised how receptive we can be.

• Please do not disable a fire/smoke detectors. If a low battery signal is indicated, contact the management office for a ‘free’ replacement battery.
• Know where the emergency exits are located and how to evacuate the building. We have installed satin brass floor plans on each floor next to each elevator showing the exits. Make sure your family members know the emergency evacuation routes. Do not open the door to your suite without first verifying who is seeking admittance. If a person claims to be an employee, call the office for confirmation and request positive employee verification. Employees have dated identification cards with their photograph.
• Do not allow strangers into your suite by providing access via the intercom or buzzer system.
• Close the entrance door to your suite securely and use the locking devices provided. If a locking device is malfunctioning, contact the management office immediately. Verify that your balcony door and windows are locked. We have installed ‘slide lock limiters’ on all windows. Please do not remove them for any reason as they were installed for the protection of residents, their children and their guests.
• Always be observant and look around before entering or leaving parking areas, elevators, hallways and other areas of common usage. If the exterior lighting malfunctions, immediately notify the management/office.
• Suspicious activity should be reported to the management office or the police.
• All emergencies should be reported directly to the police or fire department after you have reached safety. Always evacuate if a fire should occur. Don’t attempt to extinguish a fire. Only after you have been safely evacuated, notify the fire department and the management team.

Smoke detectors have been installed for your safety. Please don’t tamper with these units or remove the battery. In fact, you should test the unit monthly by pushing the ‘test’ button. The battery also needs to be replaced annually. Your building manager will inspect each detector at least once a year to ensure operation. Once every few months it is a good idea to actually put your vacuum hose on the smoke detector to remove dust particles from the inside element.