Attention High-Rise Residents: The Importance of Your Suite Door in Fire Safety
As a resident in a high-rise, have you ever thought about the role your suite door plays in your safety? The recent high-rise fire in Ottawa, Ontario that left an entire floor uninhabitable is a stark reminder of how crucial proper door function is for fire and smoke containment.
Whether it’s a malfunctioning door closer, a resident propping the door open to clear initial smoke, or even floor mats and decorations obstructing its closure, these seemingly small oversights can have devastating consequences.
Thankfully there was no injuries to occupants, but its important to recognize that these oversights can cause additional risks to responding fire service personnel.
In Ontario, fire doors and closures are inspected every 30 days, typically by building superintendents or security staff to ensure the smaller "compartments" are maintained within the building. These include closures to stairwells, and service and mechanical rooms. However, resident suite doors are only checked annually. Given this, it’s vital for building managers to emphasize to residents the importance of reporting any issues with their suite doors to management. In fact, as a best practice, this vital information should be found in your building's approved fire safety plan as one of the roles and responsibilities for Residents.
Together, we can enhance safety for everyone! hashtag#highrise hashtag#verticalcity hashtag#firesafetyteamapproach
For more details on the incident, check out the article here: https://ottawa.citynews.ca/2024/10/17/highrise-fire-leaves-entire-11th-floor-of-south-end-building-uninhabitable/
About National Life Safety Group
At National Life Safety Group, we are the trusted choice for fire engineering & facility based emergency management services in the Greater Toronto Area and across Ontario. We help building owners, commercial property managers, facility managers, and condominium boards achieve full Ontario Fire Code compliance through expert fire code consulting, fire safety risk assessments, and fire protection engineering solutions.
Whether you manage a multi-unit residential building in Toronto, a commercial property in Mississauga, or a condominium complex in Vaughan, our team delivers customized safety planning and consulting to address prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. We provide fire code compliance audits, emergency management planning, fire protection system design, and risk mitigation strategies tailored to your building type and occupancy.
From fire safety consulting for new building developments to fire code updates and compliance guidance, we combine decades of hands-on experience with recognized best practices to protect lives, property, and operations. If you’re searching for fire code consulting experts near you in Toronto, the GTA, or anywhere in Ontario, National Life Safety Group delivers proven, defensible solutions that safeguard your building’s future.