Is Your St. Augustine Business Practicing Good Fire Prevention and Safety?

1/20/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Greater St. Augustine thanks our local fire department for helping keep local commercial properties safe from fires!

Fires can be devastating to both businesses small and large. According to FEMA, 40% of businesses do not reopen after a disaster and another 25 percent fail within one year after. That is why it is crucial to protect your business from preventable disasters by keeping up with the latest fire safety codes. To help your business practice fire safety and prevention, follow the steps below.

Preventing building fire Damages By Following the Fire Code

The Florida Fire Prevention Code is updated every 3 years. It is a resource comprised to accurately apply and enforce requirements that help and protect life and property. The fire codes are enforced by local fire officials within each county, municipality, and fire district in the state. 

Unfortunately, too many commercial property owners fail to update the fire prevention system they have in place when these updates are made but it’s important to stay informed and in code for your safety.

The 11 most common code violations in commercial properties are:

1. Improper use of extension cords. This is one of the most serious and most common, you should never attach extension cords together, to permanent fixtures or pass them through holes in the wall.
   
   
2. Blocked exits and fire doors. It is critical to keep all doors and exits unblocked 100% of the time. 
   
   
3. Non-illuminated, flickers, blocked exit signs, and faulty lighting. 
   
   
4. Improper storage in fire pump and riser rooms. Fire marshalls often see miscellaneous items stored in here and in the event of an emergency, slows or prohibits their ability to work and accesses needed equipment. 
   
   
5. Blocked exterior fire department connection and valves. Landscaping such as trees, bushes, boulders or business equipment, pallets, and dumpsters are often in the way of the access points. 
   
   
6. Incorrect fire sprinkler system. Your fire sprinklers have to be up to code for your company's business and purpose. 
   
   
7. Fire extinguisher issues. Missing, damaged, or partially used fire extinguishers are especially common 
   
   
8. Broken smoke detectors. Sometimes large facilities have difficulty keeping up with missing or faulty smoke detectors. 
   
   
9. Fire alarms or pull stations not working. Fire alarm pull stations should not be blocked and should remain visible at all times. 
   
   
10. Items hanging from sprinkler heads or pipes. When hanging things from sprinkler heads or pipes, it's easy to accidentally activate them, resulting in water damage to the affected area. 
    
    
11. Not keeping proper records. As the owner of the building, it is your responsibility to retain copies of your inspection and repair records. 

How to Ensure You’re Following The Fire Code to Keep Your Business Safe

The common violations listed above are simple to avoid considering the potential alternative and should be taken more seriously. If you’re unsure how to follow these basics, contact your local St. Johns County Department and request to have a firefighter come to visit, prior to the official inspector, and educate you on the fire hazards in your commercial property as well as any violations that exist. This will help keep your business protected from fire and within code.

I Experienced a Fire. What's Next?

Unfortunately, even if you do routinely practice fire safety and prevention techniques fires still happen, resulting in significant water and fire damage. When that happens, you can count on your local SERVPRO of St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, S. Nocatee and World Golf Village to mitigate fire and water damage losses. 

Fire damage restoration can help restore your commercial property to pre-fire condition, but it’s important to act fast to get fire remediation specialists out as quickly as possible to address the damage. If you find yourself dealing with commercial property fire damages, trust SERVPRO of Greater St. Augustine, and our professional fire remediation services that we’re known for. With immediate emergency service 24/7, call us at 904-429-4457 and our trained fire technicians will be there to restore your commercial property damaged by fire.