The safety of our residents and our collective community is our team’s top priority. One of our core values at Port Property is to provide safe, clean, well-maintained apartments to all residents – and we take that responsibility very seriously.
For this reason, Port Property aims to raise awareness on the importance of fire safety throughout the month of October, which is designated as Fire Prevention Month. Established in 1922, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) named the second week of October “Fire Prevention Week” to commemorate the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. Since then, the initiative has grown from a singular week of awareness into a month-long campaign of educating communities on fire prevention and establishing best practices for home safety.
In a fire, every second counts – which makes prevention, education, and regular smoke alarm testing crucial. Port Property takes great care to meet and exceed state and local requirements for fire safety – including inspection and testing of smoke detectors ahead of move-ins and providing fire extinguishers throughout properties.
Fire Prevention Month also presents an opportunity to share important safety information with our residents. Port Property urges all residents to review the following checklist to help prevent fires and to be prepared in case of emergency:
- Regularly test smoke detectors: Add this simple, one-step process into your monthly to-do list. Smoke alarms should be tested monthly by pressing the test button once and waiting to hear a beep. According to research by FirstAlert, more than 60% of consumers do not test their smoke and CO alarms monthly – and the majority of fire deaths happen in homes with inactive or absent fire alarms (NFPA). If your smoke detector is not working, please contact our team for maintenance or for a replacement.
- Replace old batteries: If your smoke detector is making a “chirping” noise, it’s time to replace the battery! If a resident is unable to replace the battery themselves, please contact our office for assistance.
- Don’t tamper with detectors: Unhooking, removing, or covering smoke detectors with plastic bags can not only permanently damage your alarm and leave you with a hefty fine, but it also removes your first line of defense against a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. If your detector alarms with 3 beeps, this means it is detecting smoke, 4 beeps signals carbon monoxide detection.
- No smoking: Not only does smoking pose a health hazard for residents and can damage apartment interiors, it’s also one of the leading causes of fires in the City of Portland. As a company, Port Property enforces a no-smoking policy at each of our buildings. This policy also extends to within 25 feet of any Port Property building.
- Create an evacuation plan: Know the quickest evacuation route for your apartment, remind yourself of nearby exits, and practice a fire escape plan for your household so that you’re prepared in case of emergency.
- Work together: If you encounter an active fire in any building, please contact 911 immediately for emergency assistance. Once emergency responders determine it is safe, Port Property will do our best to help get our residents back into their homes as quickly as possible.
For more information on fire safety and prevention, please visit www.nfpa.org.