The Legal Herald
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns, “high-rise buildings present several unique challenges not found in traditional low-rise buildings; longer egress times and distance, evacuation strategies, fire department accessibility, smoke movement and fire control. The multiple floors of a high-rise building create the cumulative effect of requiring great numbers of persons to travel great vertical distances on stairs in order to evacuate the building.”
High-Rise Apartment Owners and Managers
It is critical that high-rise apartment owners and managers prepare themselves and their residents for a fire or emergency, providing comprehensive fire safety features in the building, training staff on emergency evacuation procedures, and educating residents on all fire safety tools and evacuation programs.
NFPA Safety Tips for High-Rise Apartment Residents:
Be Prepared!
- For the best protection, select a fully sprinklered building. If your building is not sprinklered, ask the landlord or management to consider installing a sprinkler system.
- Meet with your landlord or building manager to learn about the fire safety features in your building (fire alarms, sprinklers, voice communication procedures, evacuation plans, and how to respond to an alarm).
- Know the locations of all available exit stairs from your floor in case the nearest one is blocked by fire or smoke.
- Make sure all exit and stairwell doors are clearly marked, not locked or blocked by security bars and clear of clutter.
- If there is a fire, pull the fire alarm on your way out to notify the fire department and your neighbors.
- If the fire alarm sounds, feel the door before opening and close all doors behind you as you leave. If it is hot, use another way out. If it is cool, leave by the nearest way out.
- If an announcement is made throughout the building, listen carefully and follow directions.
- Use the stairs to get out — never use the elevator unless you are directed to by the fire department.
Escape 101
- Go to your outside meeting place and stay there. Call the fire department. If someone is trapped in the building, notify the fire department.
- If you can’t get out of your apartment because of fire, smoke or a disability, stuff wet towels or sheets around the door and vents to keep smoke out.
- Call the fire department and tell them where you are.
- Open a window slightly and wave a bright cloth to signal your location. Be prepared to close the window if it makes the smoke condition worse.
- Fire department evacuation of a high-rise building can take a long time. Communicate with the fire department to monitor evacuation status.
Visit NFPA for more high-rise apartment fire safety information.
Know Your Rights
Apartment complex residents have a right to feel safe and secure while in the community. By law, apartment owners are required to protect all residents and guests legally on the premises from any foreseeable harm. Should an apartment owner or management company fail to provide adequate safety and security measures, they may be held civilly liable for any injuries or wrongful deaths which occur as a consequence.
We Fight for Victims of Apartment Negligence…Contact us Now for a Free Consultation.
The Murray Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for victims of unsafe properties, and recently obtained a $29.25 million dollar verdict for one of our Clients.
We represent our Clients on a contingency agreement, which generally means that no fees or payments are owed until and unless we recover. Anyone seeking further information or legal representation is encouraged to contact us via e-mail (click here) or by telephone at 888.842.1616. Consultations are free and confidential.
Choosing the Right Attorney
Selecting the right attorney for you or your family is highly important. You must feel confident that the attorney you hire has a complete understanding of the law applicable to your particular case, and has successful experience in handling such cases.
Important: Do not hire a lawyer who has violated the Rules of Professional Conduct!!!
You should not hire an attorney who calls you or visits you unsolicited, or anyone that contacts you directly to offer legal services. This activity is strictly prohibited by Rule 7.3 of the American Bar Association (ABA) Model Rules of Professional Conduct, which states as follows:
A LAWYER “SHALL NOT” CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE CLIENT THROUGH A “LIVE TELEPHONE” OR AN “IN-PERSON” VISIT.
– RULE 7.3, ABA MODEL RULES OF PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT.
If an attorney, or someone acting on behalf of an attorney, contacts you in this manner, that attorney is in violation of this Rule. This unethical and unprofessional activity on the part of the lawyer is good sign that you should stay away. It is imperative that you are represented by an attorney who is capable of advocating for you within the confines of the law, and an attorney who fails to abide by the Rules of Professional Conduct is probably not the best fit. In fact, any such attorney should be immediately reported to the local State Bar Association. If you have been contacted in such an unsolicited manner, contact us and we’ll assist you in filing a report.
Contingency Fees Disclaimer: “Contingent attorneys’ fees refers only to those fees charged by attorneys for their legal services. Such fees are not permitted in all types of cases. Court costs and other additional expenses of legal action usually must be paid by the client.”