Fire Safety in a Rental Apartment | Rental Resources | Boardwalk Blog

Following the fire, Mandy and Kyle were taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation, but are back to their usual selves. Mandy and Kyle’s concerns for their neighbours, pride in their home, and quick action saved many people from what could have ultimately been a tragedy. We are incredibly grateful for their acts of bravery in protecting Boardwalk’s Willow Park Gardens community from a dangerous fire. As a token of our appreciation and in recognition of their courageous efforts, Boardwalk has offered each of them one month of free rent.

Fires are the most common disaster people are likely to experience, yet many continue to underestimate the risk. Apartment building fires are caused by mishaps involving everyday activities such as cooking, heating and using household appliances.

The good news is, most apartment fires are preventable. Here are some important fire prevention tips to keep in mind when renting an apartment:

• Always stay in the kitchen while the stove or oven is on, and use a timer to remind yourself to check the food regularly.
• Ensure there are no flammable items (dish towels, wooden utensils, cookbooks, etc.) close to the stove.
• Be cautious when using candles in your apartment. Never leave an open flame unattended and make sure to keep candles away from curtains and other flammable items.
• Ensure all power cords are in good condition with no exposed wiring.
• If you use a space heater, make sure to turn it off when leaving the room and when you go to sleep.
• Avoid careless smoking.
• Familiarize yourself with the apartment building and know at least two ways out of the building from your rental suite.
• We strongly encourage you to test your smoke detectors monthly and recommend that you change the batteries in the detector every six months. Please notify us immediately if you encounter a problem, or if it is not working.

With summer fully here, there truly is no better time to ensure that your fire safety precautions and emergency plans are in place. By following the tips above, you will substantially decrease the likelihood of a fire breaking out in your apartment!

*Do you have tenants insurance? For your protection, we require that you purchase an insurance policy that covers your personal belongings against loss from water, fire, theft and includes insurance for third party liability. We offer our Residents the convenience of purchasing an insurance policy online with Westland Insurance at a discounted price.