According to the USDA Forest Service, historic fire data show that wildfires are not only getting larger; they also are becoming more intense. As populations increasingly move from metropolitan areas into the outlying fringes bordered by woodlands, grass and brush, this has significant property and life safety implications for households, farms, ranches and businesses. This decentralization into natural settings has created a landscape known as the wildland/urban interface (WUI). The WUI is defined as “the area where structures and other human development meet with undeveloped wildland.”
For those who live or work in the WUI, advance planning and taking safety precautions are critical in helping to reduce wildland fire property loss and injury. To reduce the risk, considerations should be given to the fire resistance of building structures, the topography of property and the nature of and proximity to nearby brush, trees and vegetation. Safety considerations include, but are not limited to:
Protection and Preparation
Create Safety Zones Around Structures
- Maintain a clear space free of brush, trees, grasses of at least 100 feet, preferably 200 feet, between the structures and natural growth.
- If you live on a hill, extend the zone on the downhill side. Fire spreads rapidly uphill.
- Properly maintain or avoid ornamental plants known or thought to be high hazard combustible plants.
- Keep outside storage of flammable liquids, gases, and hazardous materials at least 100 feet from the buildings. Preferably, maintain them within a fire rated safety storage locker.
Maximize Fire Resistance Through Construction/Building Materials
(At time of new construction, remodeling, or through retrofitting)
- Consider exterior mounted fire sprinklers to protect the roof, walls and windows of the buildings.
- Install noncombustible roofing and siding materials.
- Replace plain glazing with fire-rated glass, or provide fire shutters.
- Cover house vents with wire mesh, to deter flaming debris from entering.
- Install spark arrestors on chimneys.
Prepare for Water Storage
- Develop an available water supply; and
- Connect with campus fire officials about availability of water
Other Considerations
- Make an inventory of property and furnishings. Here’s our version.
- Keep important papers, data and an inventory of your property and furnishings in a safe location offsite or fire-resistant rated safe.
- Have emergency/fire department telephone numbers readily available.
- Maintain building accessibility for fire department equipment.
- Have a continuity plan with alternative arrangements for continuing critical operations.
Response
Always be ready for an emergency evacuation
- Know where to go and what to bring with you.
- Plan several escape routes, in the event roads are blocked.
- Account for all members and employees of the chapter, during and after evacuation. Ensure a safe evacuation.
- Wear protective clothing.
- Practice evacuation plan.
Attend to last minute property mitigation measures
- Remove combustible items (wood, lawn furniture) outside your property’s safety zone.
- Close vents, windows, entry and garage doors.
- Close shutters and blinds to reduce radiant heat.
- Close all doors inside the house to prevent draft.
Attend to water preparation and other systems
- Shut off all sources of natural gas, propane or fuel oil supplies.
- Get water and water pump ready. Connect garden hoses. Fill pools, tubs, garbage cans, or other large vessels/containers with water.
- Put automatic garage doors on manual, in case of power outage.
Other considerations
- Follow disaster plan/ emergency shut down practices. This includes equipment, machines, HVAC and other building systems.
- Prepare hose lines and maintain a fire watch center. Activate any manually operated outside fire sprinklers, when appropriate.
Recovery
Read OSHA’s Wildfire: Response/Recovery.
Other Considerations
Contact your campus fire department, forestry office, emergency management office and building department for information about local fire laws, building codes and prevention measures. Obtain local building codes and weed abatement ordinances for structures built near wooded areas.
Additional Resources
Source: Travelers.com
The U.S. has learned from Japan that retrofitting buildings to withstand earthquakes can save lives and reduce losses. Click the link to watch a video from AM Best discussing retrofitting. “Earthquake Retrofitting Saves Lives, Reduces Losses” (April 2021)
FAQs: Commercial Kitchens – In this episode we discuss all sorts of cooking and kitchen related questions that we hear most often.
We recommend that you complete a House Inventory Checklist and review it once a year (note about this resource: we have made this resource available in Excel because it has built-in formulas for easy manipulation and calculation. Once you click on the link, you can click on the download link in the upper righthand corner to edit your own version). For more information about the property coverage, please click here.
Use the Chapter House Self-Inspection checklist to review your property and life-safety risk management.
Scenario
According to a report completed by the Chapter Advisor, there were three chapter members conversing about the fire escape outside the window of the second floor. One member, who admitted she had previously been out on the escape, showed the other two new members that it was possible to go out onto the fire escape from the window of the room. The older member successfully got out on the escape. One of the freshman women attempted to do the same and slipped and fell one story to the ground. The women fractured her jaw in 8 places requiring surgery, lost 7-8 teeth and received various soft tissue injuries related to the fall from 15 feet.
Results
Parents of member have retained an attorney and a reserve of $350,000 has been placed on the claim by the insurance company.
Liability Concerns
The fire escapes were used by the house residents as “balconies.”
- Risk Management solution: Written rules, by laws, contracts, handbooks or other correspondence methods should address inappropriate use of roofs, bodies of water, fire escapes, basements, attics, etc.
The prior House Director knew that the residents were using the fire escape as balconies.
- Risk Management solution: A specific person or persons should be responsible for making sure that rules are adhered to. This person or persons must have authority and make sure all persons conform to these rules. Persons living in the house must be held accountable to these rules.
The access ways to the fire escape had no signs posted.
- Risk Management solution: Signage is very important for instructions and awareness purposes. Post signs in access ways that clearly indicate that the fire escape is to only be used for emergency purposes.
A light which was affixed to the wall just above the fire escape was not working.
- Risk Management solution: The appropriate employee should be conducting comprehensive house inspections and giving the property manager written items that need correction. This should also include a follow-up procedure to make sure that corrections are made in a timely fashion.
The witnesses all stated that they have never been advised of any prohibitions against using the fire escape.
- Risk Management solution: House Corporation should have a meeting with the Chapter members once every semester to educate the members on the House Rules and the minutes of the meeting should reflect said instructions. Signs should be posted near the escapes that state “for emergency use only.”
A chair was present on the third-floor fire escape which had been present for three years according to one witness.
- Risk Management solution: An assumption could be made that the members were using the chair to sit in while using the fire escape in an improper manner. Clearly communicate to employees the procedures for reporting to the House Corporation any House Rule violations.
One witness stated that the house members regularly used the fire escapes as balconies and were never told not to.
- Risk Management solution: House Corporation should have a meeting with the Chapter members once every semester to educate the members on the House Rules.
Scenario
A sprinkler head in a closet on the second floor went off resulting in water damage to the first and second floor, as well as the basement. The exact cause of the sprinkler head going off is not able to be determined. It is believed that the heat in the closet may have been a factor. The expert hired to determine the cause noted that the sprinkler heads in the house were approximately 30 years-old and were either corroded or leaking.
Result
The final cost of this claim was $498,444. There is no subrogation potential against the manufacturer of the sprinkler system or the company who installed it as the House Corporation did not maintain any records regarding when the system was installed or when it was inspected.
Issues to discuss
- Is your sprinkler system inspected on a regular basis? How do you ensure that the sprinkler system is inspected annually?
- Do you maintain all of the records from the inspections?
- Does your house have an alarm when the sprinkler system is activated?
Scenario
A member was using a deep fryer in the kitchen to heat oil. The member walked away to another room, and the fryer caught the cabinet and microwave on fire. The fire damage was contained to the kitchen. However, there was smoke damage throughout the house.
Result
A total of $47,972.09 was paid out for the claim.
Issues to discuss
- Are residents allowed use of the commercial kitchen equipment? If so, what are the regulations regarding the use of the commercial kitchen equipment? See below for our risk management response to this practice.
- Discuss safe alternatives to the members using the commercial kitchen equipment
Scenario
A fire broke out in the attic of the chapter house from what they believe was some insulation that fell between the wall and flooring landing on some wires and ignited. The attic was not sprinklered and sustained all of the damage below. However, as the claims progress in the cleaning up and repairing of the attic space, the state building code regulations had to be addressed. The wing where the fire originated was built in the early 1900s, and they could not let the members back into that area until some of the original construction items were upgraded even though they were not affected by the fire (e.g. some of the members had to be moved to other facilities, the insured had to pay for additional meals as the kitchen could not be used).
Result
The code compliance issues drove the cost of claim over $1,000,000.
Issues to discuss
- What policies do you have in place in the event of a severe and lengthy property claim? (i.e. where will you house displaced chapter members? How can you minimize extra expenses associated with the claim?)
- Do you regularly inspect your attic space? Is your attic sprinklered?
Subrogation – the legal process by which an insurance company, after paying a loss, seeks to recover the amount of the loss from another party who is legally liable for it.
Scenario
An extensive fire occurred on the top floor and roof of the chapter facility resulting in a total claim amount of $1,379,877. Due to the size of the loss, the file was referred to the Subrogation Department immediately. Subrogation Counsel was assigned, as well as a Cause and Origin expert. After the expert’s inspection, the subrogation attorney assigned an electrical engineer to inspect the evidence. The experts were able to identify that an electrician working in the building knocked wiring loose, which resulted in the fire. Upon conclusion of the loss adjustment, a demand package was sent to the electrician’s insurance carrier. Mediation between the electrician’s insurance carrier and the organization’s insurance company took place. The case did not settle during mediation, but did settle shortly after. The two parties negotiated a settlement and avoided litigation and incurring further litigation costs.
Result
The insurance carrier was successful in recovering $700,000 on behalf of the organization.
Important!
If you have a loss, please do not throw anything away without speaking to an adjuster first. If you have to begin mitigation due to water damage, please take photographs before moving or tearing anything out. Subrogation could be compromised by discarding parts or failing to take photographs to document the damage.
Issues to discuss
- What procedures do you have in place to properly document claims when they occur?
- What procedures do you have in place to address issues after a large property claim (e.g. alternate housing for the chapter members, building/code requirement changes, loss of income expenses, etc.)?
Scenario
At a fraternity chapter house that was hosting a party, Jane Doe, chapter member, went out a second-floor door to a fire escape platform and fell through the hole, which provided a ladder access to the ground.
There had been a previous fall from this fire escape at the chapter house in question, and the chapter leadership posted a hand-made warning sign at the exit to the fire escape as a warning.
Result
Jane Doe suffered serious injuries and sued the Fraternity and House Corporation. The national Fraternity was dismissed from the lawsuit; however, the House Corporation was found 56 percent at fault with nearly $120,000 in damages.
Issues to address:
- The fire escape had already caused problems at this chapter, and the House Corporation did not address those concerns properly. Once a dangerous condition at the property is revealed, it must be appropriately addressed.
- How should the concerns about the fire escape have been addressed after the first incident?
- What risk management policies does your Chapter/House Corporation have in place regarding fire escapes?
This guide from Travelers, the insurance company for MJ Sorority clients, provides information on incorporating best practices and a prevention plan to help reduce the risks of slips, trips and falls at your business and on your premises.