The Official RJWestmore Blog

Fire Safety A-Z

Final Post in Our Fire-Safety Series

For the final post in our series about fire safety, we would like to recap the top 26 tips for preventing and responding to fires at home and work, as well as a myriad of reasons for signing up for The RJWestmore Safety Training System.

A~A to D Fire Extinguishers

(With so many fire extinguishers to choose from, selecting the proper one for use at your home and in the office can be a daunting task. Since use of the wrong type of fire can actually cause the fire to spread, pay careful attention to the difference.)

A-Rated Extinguishers- extinguish ordinary combustible materials such as paper, wood, cardboard, and most plastics. The numerical rating on these indicates the amount of water they will hold and the amount of fire they are capable of extinguishing.
B-Rated Extinguishers- battle flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, kerosene, grease and oil. The numerical rating for this class indicates the approximate number of square feet of fire they can extinguish.

C-Rated Extinguishers- fight fires caused by electrical equipment, appliances, wiring, circuit breakers and outlets. Never use water to extinguish class C fires. The risk of electrical shock is far too great! Class C extinguishers do not have a numerical rating. The C classification means the extinguishing agent is non-conductive.

D-Rated Extinguishers- are most commonly used in chemical laboratories. They are for fires that involve combustible metals, such as magnesium, titanium, potassium and sodium. These extinguishers do not feature numerical ratings or multi-purpose ratings. Instead, they are designed for class D fires only.

Emergency Evacuation Plan If fire extinguishers are required or provided in your workplace, and if anyone will be evacuating during a fire or other emergency, then OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.157 requires you to have an EAP.

Fumes from containers that are not properly sealed can be carried on air currents to the flame of a water heater or the pilot light on a stove.

Gas Appliance fires lead to the deaths of 14 people annually, who succumb to carbon monoxide poisoning. These deaths are caused by gas appliances and flues which have not been properly installed or maintained. Make sure your gas-powered appliances are in good working-condition.

High-Quality Animation keeps clients engaged. To ensure the highest rate of retention possible, RJWestmore Inc. hired former Disney, DreamWorks, and Warner Bros. artists to create engaging animated online e-tutorials.

Integrated System-A fully-integrated system, the RJWestmore Training System allows property management companies to manage one site or an entire portfolio, with all users in the same system.

Join the US Green Building Council which is a non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. RJWestmore, Inc. is a proud member of the USGBC. Reducing needless waste lessens the risk of e-related fire.

K-Rated Fire Extinguishers are manufactured to battle fires that involve vegetable oils, animal oils, or fats in cooking appliances. This is for commercial kitchens, including those found in restaurants, cafeterias and catering locations.

Landfill fires are on the rise. The EPA says that as we become more dependent on electronic products to make life more convenient, the stockpile of used, obsolete products continues to grow. To help prevent this type of fire risk, dispose of e-waste responsibly.

Make sure your tenants know evacuation routes. The best way to do this is to conduct regular drills.

NFPA National Fire Protection Association endeavors to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training and education.

Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system motivates and rewards tenants instantly! It’s a convenient and affordable solution to all of the training needs of your building(s).

Post Evacuation Routes clearly, so locations become second nature during actual emergencies.

Quiz your tenants, employees and family members regularly to make sure they remember safe evacuation routes and emergency procedures.

Reduce, reuse and recycle. Encourage tenants to delay purchasing new equipment when current electronics work properly. Reusing toner cartridges and cell phones puts less of a strain on natural resources.

Slightest Spark can start a devastating fire; so proper handling and use as well as proper storage of volatile materials are essential.

Tenant Safety is of paramount importance to property owners and managers. With our system, you can train occupants, floor wardens, and fire safety directors how to respond in emergencies. All user-training and testing is recorded and available for review at your convenience.

Up to Code- Federal, state, and local laws require annual training for every commercial building occupant. However, studies show that less than 20% of occupants have ever trained or know what to do in an emergency. That means 80% of your occupants are at risk and could represent a liability to themselves and you.

View Map Link- RJWestmore Inc. clients have access to multiple views of individual properties and the surrounding areas in our Version 2.0 system. The maps not only provide driving directions to the building. But, more importantly, they provide access to Google Earth 3-D views of the surrounding area. Such detail prevents emergency responders from “flying blind” in an emergency.

Watch for fire risks. A fire watch ensures the fire-safety of a building or area in the event of any act, e.g., hot work, or situation instigating an increased risk to persons or property.

Xeric conditions pose greater risk of fire. Make sure dry landscaping around buildings is watered on a regular basis.

You can train occupants, floor wardens, and fire safety directors with our system. All user-training and testing is recorded. Get quick access to building specific Emergency Responder information and other resources.

Zealously guard your property to ensure fire safety strategies are observed. At RJWestmore, Inc., our mission is to create a safer, more informed occupant who understands their responsibilities and may be capable of helping others.

When a disaster strikes, prior planning and clear decisive action can help save lives. For the latest emergency management training for facility/building managers, contact RJWestmore, Inc. Check back next week, when we will begin a series about hurricane safety and preparation. In the meantime, BE SAFE

Director of Operations Lora Sargeant

The RJ Westmore Inc. team is proud to welcome Lora Sargeant as director of operations. Lora is a Southern California native who graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1986 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art History.

After graduation, she moved to Northern California and started her real estate career.

Lora brings to RJWestmore over 20 years experience in the commercial real estate industry.  She has worked for companies such as CB Richard Ellis, Grubb & Ellis Management Services, and Kennedy Wilson in a variety of capacities including on-site property management, portfolio management, and business development.  She has managed commercial, industrial and retail properties.

Lora recently relocated back to Southern California with her two children, where she most recently worked again for CB Richard Ellis managing medical office buildings for an institutional client.

Version 2.0 is available to all RJ Westmore clients at no additional charge.

RJ Westmore is proud to announce the release of Version 2.0 of our comprehensive e-based safety building-specific training program. The new system has even more integration and automation that brings together property/facility managers, fire safety directors, floor wardens, occupants and local fire departments. All of the new features showcase our commitment to offer the most user-friendly and complete training system on the market and further our mission to “SAVE LIVES THROUGH TRAINING.”

• Real-time reporting with just one click—
  • Identify tenants that need special assistance to evacuate in the case of emergency
  • Have instant access to a list of primary and alternate floor wardens that is shared with building management and the fire department
    • Automatic email notification to property management and the fire safety directors each time either the special assistance or floor warden list is updated by users.

• Improved fire department access—
  • One home screen allows department access to all RJ Westmore Online Training System companies in the city
  • Departments can monitor individual building testing and training of floor wardens, fire safety directors and all the occupants in the building.
  • Fire Department approved across the United States and compliant with FDNY LL26, LAFD 57.33.19, as well as Federal OSHA and individual State fire codes.

• Automated features—
  • Automatic certificates are sent to each user
  • Employee compliance reports are prepared for each tenant
  • Annual reminders are sent to each user

• Improved confidentiality and system control—
  • Multiple tiers of system access help control the distribution of information
  • Confidential Information Access is granted for resources such as maps and emergency plans

The RJ Westmore Training System, Version 2.0 gives building owners a complete picture of their emergency preparedness. We map out an exterior refuge map with a satellite picture of each building.  A map of the lobby is also created, showing the best exit routes. Elevator banks and stairwells are graphed, to show a comprehensive picture of accessibility and egress.

More info about the Version 2.0 rollout:

• 30-day implementation with a simple monthly fee
• All updates, training, and other resources are provided for no additional fee
• Property managers can easily print and export building training information
• Training and procedures are available for any kind of disaster, be it manmade or natural

If you own or manage a building, or know someone who does, do them a favor. Let them know about the RJWestmore Training System. Choosing our service provides a value-added tenant service that limits property management and individual tenant liability.  Furthermore, it cuts property management training related workloads by 90% and saves users over 50% compared to conventional training! More importantly, it saves lives.

BE SAFE.

In honor of Disaster Preparedness Month, RJWestmore, Inc. is proud to announce a new informational worksheet detailing the most effective way to deal with people who have Autism, in the event of an emergency.

The emergency preparedness instructions should help family members, friends and first responders remember the proper methods for helping Autistic people.

While a disaster can be a traumatic experience for anyone, it can be especially frightening for someone who is autistic. Autism is defined as a brain development disorder characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior.

Those who care for people with autism, or are in close contact with an autistic person, should be made aware of the special precautions that must be taken during an emergency.

Autistic people have a tendency to hide, or become suddenly paralyzed with fear, in the event of a catastrophe. Anyone who attempts to help them can be perceived as a dangerous threat. This is why it is important for emergency responders to be able to recognize the signs and symptoms of autism, so that they can take precautionary measures.

• During an emergency, people with autism will resort to self-soothing methods, such as rocking, or talking to themselves.
• Autistic people have also been known to become fascinated with dangerous stimuli.
• For example; in the event of a fire, an autistic man may stand dangerously close to the flames in order to stare at the fire.
• In a flood, an autistic girl could potentially travel towards flowing water, instead of away from it, which could put her in immediate danger.

If more people are able to identify these types of behaviors, and offer assistance in a calm, non-threatening way, the chances of a successful rescue will be dramatically increased.

In dealing with someone who you know is, or who appears to be, autistic:

1. Speak slowly, in basic, concrete terms. Allow time for responses.
2. Use visual communication as much as possible.
3. Do not attempt to physically stop self-stimulating behavior.
4. Have Autism Emergency Contact Forms completed

RJWestmore offers disaster preparedness training for everyone, including people with autism. There has never a better time to learn how to respond during an emergency than in September, during Disaster Preparedness Month.  BE SAFE!

Shake, Rattle and Roll

We’ve got a full calendar at RJ Westmore, Inc. One event we’re looking forward to is the Great California ShakeOut at 10:15 a.m. on October 15, 2009, when we’ll join millions of Californians to participate in the largest earthquake drill ever!

Drop, Cover and Hold On!

Now an annual event, the ShakeOut will incorporate numerous exercises and drills designed to prepare adults and children to react quickly in the rather likely event of a California quake. In much the same way kids across America have been taught to Stop, Drop and Roll in case of fire, this exercise will give us all the opportunity to practice how to Drop, Cover and Hold On.

Practice Makes Perfect

At RJWestmore, Inc., we specialize in fire life safety and disaster preparedness training and education, so we can testify to the fact that behavior has to be learned and then drilled often in order to become automatic. If an earthquake hits, you may only have seconds to protect yourself before strong shaking knocks you down, or causes something to fall onto you. So, don’t wait until an earthquake hits to figure out how you’re going to react.

How to Deal

We are proud to join thousands of emergency organizations, emergency responders, and Search and Rescue organizations in support of Drop, Cover, and Hold On education. If you wonder whether you are adequately prepared to deal with an earthquake, take this free interactive quiz, which was prepared by the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management.

Now is the perfect time to make sure you’re prepared, as September is National Preparedness Month. So check back often to learn about how to update your disaster plans and restock your disaster supplies kits.

And, in the meantime, BE SAFE.

Thousands of lives and both of the Twin Towers were lost on the now infamous day of September 11, 2001. The disaster gave Americans an uninvited lesson about the necessity of developing a comprehensive high-rise evacuation plan. It also shed light on the fact that, to be effective, disaster preparedness plans have to be taught to the people most likely to need them…all of the occupants in a building.

Fire Life Safety

One of the unavoidable risks of working or living in a high-rise building is fire. According to NFPA, the National Fire Protection Association, the following factors are unique to training for fire safety in high-rise buildings.

• 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.
• The physical demands of evacuation made on occupants often exceed the capabilities of many.
• The process of evacuating some of the largest high-rise buildings in the world may take upwards of two hours.
• The fire and life safety systems installed in high-rise buildings today, including automatic fire sprinkler protection, are designed to control a fire and therefore lessen the need to totally evacuate all occupants.
• Typically, the fire floor and the floors immediately above and below the fire will be evacuated. (Depending on the city where you live, there could be as many as five to seven floors within the building.)

Also according to NFPA, the key elements of emergency preparedness include:

• Early warning (typically through an alarm or voice communication system)
• Adequate means of egress (exit routes)
• Occupant familiarity with the plan through knowledge and practice.

The RJWestmore Training System provides unlimited access to building-specific, web-based emergency preparedness education to the folks who need it most. Using an educational, entertaining and user-friendly format, the system has been approved by all of the major fired departments across the United States. It was most recently recognized and approved by the Los Angeles Fire Department as one of the first approved online training systems to comply with the newly implemented LAMC 57.33.19 high-rise fire code. Simply stated, the system saves lives.

We are proud to announce our official receipt of approval by the Los Angeles Fire Department.  The RJWestmore Online Training system is the leading system in the United States for Online Fire/Life safety training in commercial buildings.  Among the nation’s leaders in fire safety codes, Los Angeles has recently passed stringent requirements for training in high rise buildings.  Los Angeles Fire Department Fire Code LAMC Sec. 57.33.19 covers online training and “certification of fire safety directors and floor wardens, as prescribed in the recent amendment to the stated City ordinance.”

If you have any questions about how this may affect you if your commercial properties are located in Los Angeles, we would be happy to discuss them with you.  Just shoot us an email!

Last week, RJWestmore participated in the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, The Great Southern California ShakeOut, where we trained a group of commercial property managers on earthquake preparedness.

That day, millions of people in homes, schools, businesses, government offices and public areas all over southern California participated in the event to prepare themselves for the inevitable – a magnitude 7.8 or higher earthquake along the San Andreas Fault that scientists expect will happen.

As part of RJWestmore’s mission to “Save Lives Through Training,” we’re including links to earthquake preparedness resources on our blog this week, including information on the ShakeOut; the Drop, Cover, and Hold On! procedure; the Golden Guardian 2008 Exercise Series, from Governor Schwarzenegger and his Office of Homeland Security; and a great educational video from Preparedness Now, which is available below.

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The Los Angeles Public Safety Commission will vote and then pass to City Council for final approval new regulations regarding Fire Life Safety Training Code 57.33.19. If approved, the L.A. Fire Department will initiate these updated regulations to high-rise buildings, effective Jan. 1, 2009.

Violation of the new regulations could result in daily fines from $100 to $1,000 and/or up to six months in jail. Any fees unpaid within 60 days of the due date will be subject to a 50% penalty.

If you are an existing RJWestmore Training System customer with a current emergency response plan, your obligations regarding the new regulations are almost fulfilled. There will be a meeting on December 10 to finalize additional information required by the LAFD in your emergency manual, as well as specific training requirements for your building’s fire safety director and individual floor wardens.

However, if no one is taking care of your building’s fire/life safety plans, please contact us today.

Stay tuned to RJWestmore.com for updates on the new fire regulations and how they could affect your building(s).

RJWestmore Inc. is proud to announce that three TOBY (The Outstanding Building of the Year) Award Winners use the RJWestmore Online Fire Life Safety Training System!

These clients include 1901 Avenue of the Stars, AT&T Center, and Los Angeles Corporate Center.

The 23rd Annual TOBY Awards was held at the legendary Beverly Hilton Hotel. With more than 550 attendees, this commercial real estate gala lived up to its expectations as one of the most prestigious industry events in Los Angeles.

Congratulations to each of our award-winning clients for putting safety first!

You can be an award winner, too. With the RJWestmore Online Fire Life Safety Training System, you can bring your buildings up to code in 30 days. Our interactive, building-specific e-learning training system motivates and rewards tenants instantly. It’s a convenient and affordable solution to the training needs of your building(s).

Here at RJWestmore, our goal is to “Save Lives Through Training.” So far we’ve trained more than 150 million square feet, and it’s our mission to train 150 million more.

BE SAFE!