New Fire Safety Initiative Elicits Positive Resident Response
09 12월 2009 - 6:04AM
PR Newswire (US)
VIENNA, Va., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Home Properties
(NYSE:HME) today announced that it is in the final stages of
implementing a company-wide fire prevention safety initiative. As
of January 2010, each Home Properties apartment and townhome will
be equipped with its own fire extinguisher. The safety initiative
is one of the largest prevention programs to be implemented by Home
Properties to date. "We're really excited about this new safety
initiative," said Home Properties' Environmental Health &
Safety Director, Mark Davies. "It works on so many different
levels. Our focus is to implement a program that will be truly
beneficial for our residents and communities. We closely evaluated
industry statistics, as well as our own experiences, and identified
the tremendous impact that residential fire can have on everyone,
especially our residents." According to Davies, part of the initial
investigation conducted by the Company also included an evaluation
of a number of Home Properties' apartment communities that already
had residential fire extinguishers. "We polled some of our existing
communities about their experiences with their in-unit fire
extinguishers. We found that a number of residents in those
communities had been successful in putting out a small fire at some
point. After taking a closer look at the results of the survey and
some additional statistics from the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA), we were convinced that our investment in this
safety initiative would have a significant impact on our residents,
especially as it relates to fire prevention and loss of property."
As a result of further research, Home Properties determined that
the best placement of fire extinguishers would be within the
kitchen area of each apartment and townhome. The safety program was
officially launched at the end of October; and despite having a
large volume of fire extinguishers to install, the program has seen
a quick implementation. "We purchased approximately 34,000 fire
extinguishers and now have about 75% of the installations
completed," added Davies. "We expect to have all of the fire
extinguishers installed in every single apartment and townhome by
January 2010." According to Davies, Home Properties' residents have
really embraced the program. "We haven't had any complaints from
our residents. Everything has been very positive," Davies
commented. "I think a lot of that has to do with our communication
efforts. As part of the program, we distributed a frequently asked
question (FAQ) document that was specifically designed to address
any internal questions from our property management teams prior to
the beginning of the installation process. The document was
designed so they would be able to address any resident questions or
concerns. We also notified all of our residents in advance that
they would be receiving a fire extinguisher. This entire initiative
was coupled with a strong marketing effort focused on education
about residential kitchen fires, the impact of such events, and how
to prevent them. I think that has really helped everyone understand
why fire extinguishers and proper kitchen safety practices are so
important." Residents can expect to see some more helpful safety
initiatives introduced in the coming months. "We are working on two
additional initiatives," said Davies. "The first initiative is kind
of unique. We are in the process of developing a candle safety
program. We are learning more about flameless candles to help
enlighten our residents about a safer candle option. With the
holidays approaching, the time is perfect to start talking about
these new LED candles. The candles smell just like the real deal,
and they're a safe and cost-effective alternative to traditional
candles. The second initiative is one we've already started to
implement. We are in the process of integrating a new renters'
insurance option as part of our leasing program. It's really a
peace-of-mind initiative that is truly a win-win for everyone."
Home Properties is a publicly traded apartment real estate
investment trust that owns, operates, develops, acquires and
rehabilitates apartment communities primarily in selected
Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Southeast Florida markets. Currently,
Home Properties operates 108 communities containing 37,107
apartment units. Of these, 35,957 units in 106 communities are
owned directly by the Company; 868 units are partially owned and
managed by the Company as general partner, and 282 units are
managed for other owners. For more information, visit Home
Properties' Web site at http://www.homeproperties.com/. DATASOURCE:
Home Properties CONTACT: Charis W. Warshof, Vice President,
Investor Relations of Home Properties, +1-585-295-4237 Web Site:
http://www.homeproperties.com/
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