November 2016 CT

MANAGEMENT TRENDS

Planning to Keep Your Community Safe By Jeff Cirkus, CMCA, AMS, PCAM Associa — Community Management Corp.

A s community managers, our instincts are regular- ly tested while making decisions on the fly and tackling all sorts of problems as they occur. Putting out “fires” as some like to say. This leads to some stressful days, months, who am I kidding, careers... While we can’t prevent every issue from occurring, we can use the systems we have available to us and proactively put plans in place for larger disasters, so that we are as prepared as possible when they inevitably do occur. Understand Your Fire Safety Systems Whether you’re managing a townhome community, high- rise building, or home owners association, communities generally have fire safety equipment that the association is responsible for. These systems may include fire alarm monitors, sprinklers, pumps and hoses, as well as hydrants. Know what systems you have, who services them and gen- erally how they work. For instance, if condo units include common sprinklers, know where they are located and if it’s a wet or dry system. Another important item to know is how long the battery backup will last on your fire alarm monitors should the power go out. Your fire protection vendor and municipal fire official are natural resources for questions you may have. Ensure that all systems are tested annually or as suggested and in compliance with municipal require- ments. While municipalities will dictate necessary repairs, it is smart to keep up with any vendor suggested repairs as well. A simple matrix or checklist is a useful tool to keep track of who services what, as well as when inspections were last done and next due. Deter Crime with Security Understanding your association’s security systems is important as well, and many of the same points made

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"While we can’t prevent every issue from occurring, we can use the systems we have available to us and proactively put plans in place..."

above apply. Understanding the systems in place including their purpose and limitations is step one. Know how key fobs are programmed for residents and how visitor man- agement is handled. Whether your association has security cameras, key fobs, gates, or security guards, these systems are meant as deterrents until the police arrive. When evaluating the effectiveness of an existing system or considering new ones, learn from the experience and mistakes others have made. Avoid entry systems with codes where possible as they are not the most secure. Never use a dummy camera system, this will provide a false sense of security and could put the association at risk of a law- suit. Gate systems, while expensive to maintain, are very effective and can add value to homes within the commu- nity. Lastly, virtual guards are an inexpensive and effective deterrent in certain instances. A virtual guard cannot be CONT I NU E S ON PAGE 58

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