Preventing Fires in West Palm Beach Storage Facilities

2/7/2022 (Permalink)

Yesterday a couple of local businesses were impacted by the spread of a large fire that began at a storage facility. Approximately 30 units were reportedly affected by the flames while other areas suffered from smoke damage and water damage.  Palm Beach County Fire Rescue responded to the incident and extinguished the fire without anyone being hurt. While the source of the fire and the extent of damage is still under investigation, large fires like this one tend to bring fire prevention to the top of mind for everyone. Fires can devastate both storage facility customers and facility owners as well.

Below are some guidelines for preventing fires in storage facilities.

• Complete consistent inspection of security.
• Inspection of fire alarms and sprinkler systems.
• Keep parking areas separate from units and properly label these areas.
• Train employees to spot fire hazards.
• Include fire safety in customer contracts.
• Verify that the water supply is sufficient if needed to suppress fires.
• Create an emergency plan, like the free Emergency Ready Profile for training.

Refresh customer policy and user agreements to be sure that storage unit renters and owners are compliant. Be sure that they are not overpacking units because this is an easily preventable fire hazard. Review the security systems, both video cameras, and the process for ID checks, to be sure you have an accurate account of who has accessed the facilities. Proper security can help prevent human error and arson. Customer education and proper staff training will be one of the best defenses against extensive fire damage in your West Palm Beach business. Frequently inspect fire-extinguishing systems such as sprinklers to be sure they are in working order. Sprinkler systems can help limit the extent of both fire damage and water damage. 

Have an emergency management plan and choose a restoration company that has 24/7 capabilities. SERVPRO of West Palm Beach works fast to help inspect fire and smoke damage in Palm Beach County businesses. Our crews are staffed with highly trained fire restorations technicians carefully and safely restore your business to an operational state.