When you manage a residential property, it is critical to ensure that you have a reliable means of communication with all residents in the event of an emergency. At Notifii, we understand that quick and efficient communication during emergencies can spell the difference between life and death. To help onsite residential property managers ensure resident safety, we have developed Notifii Connect, a digital communication platform that allows managers to issue emergency apartment notifications to their residents anywhere, anytime.
How Natural Disasters Affect Your Residential Community
As severe weather events and natural disasters grow more common, it is increasingly important for apartment residents and management to be prepared for any contingency. This means establishing and maintaining effective apartment notifications that reach everyone in the community.
Fires
Whether it is a massive wildfire or a localized apartment fire, any fire can be devastating and deadly. Fires tend to spread quickly, so it is particularly important that residents are given as much notice as possible to evacuate their apartment, building, or neighborhood. Residents don’t only face the risk of burns due to heat and flames; they could also be exposed to copious amounts of smoke that can be extremely dangerous to their health. Having a clear and concise contingency plan and keeping your lines of communication open can help you reduce the potential for resident injury due to fire.
Flash Floods
According to the National Weather Service, flash floods are the primary cause of weather-related deaths in the United States. They can appear rapidly and can be caused by sudden downpours, dam and levee failures, and other extreme weather events. Flash floods are particularly dangerous because they typically occur with very little warning, and suddenly rising water can trap people in their homes and vehicles. Apartment managers can help reduce the danger of injury and death due to flash floods by keeping their residents informed in a timely manner. Although some residents may have access to warning systems, emergency apartment notifications can provide them with clear instructions regarding their particular location, including immediate actions to take in order to ensure their safety.
Tornadoes
According to the NOAA, the U.S. experiences approximately 1,200 tornadoes per year. These powerful columns of spinning air can cause extreme damage, flattening buildings and sending debris flying. Although tornadoes are most common in a band of the Midwest known as “tornado alley,” they can and do occur anywhere. It is therefore critical to have a contingency plan in place for apartment residents in the event of a tornado. Using instant communication, you can notify your residents to be aware in the event of a Tornado Watch or take cover in a specific area if a Tornado Warning is issued.
Power Outages
Power outages are not only inconvenient but also hazardous to the health of residents. Without power, residents are unable to control the temperatures in their homes, which can result in exposure to dangerous seasonal temperatures. What’s more, lack of lighting can increase the potential for accidents in indoor areas that receive little natural light. Residents without power cannot cook or refrigerate food and may not have access to clean, freshwater. All of these conditions must be taken into account when planning an emergency response to power outages. Since power failures can be caused by a variety of conditions, from hazardous weather to a grid overload or malfunction, it is critical to have an easy and reliable way to communicate with your residents. With emergency notifications, you can tell your residents where to find water and food, advise them whether it is wise to shelter in place or relocate, notify them of any evacuation orders, and keep them apprised of repair timelines.
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Emergency Apartment Notifications Help You Keep Residents Safe
With extreme weather events and other natural disasters on the rise, it is incumbent upon property managers to do what they can to ensure the safety of their residents. With Notifii Connect’s emergency resident communications, you have the tools you need to keep your residents safe with advance planning, clear instructions, and timely communication.
Advance Planning
Even if your apartment complex has never experienced an emergency such as a fire or flood, you are not immune. If you do not have a plan in place to handle the emergency, you may not have the time or ability to contact your residents in a timely fashion. During an emergency, time is of the essence — and it can mean the difference between saving lives and losing them. Rather than attempting to handle emergency situations as they arise, it is a good idea to create a plan or template for specific emergency situations. Keep in mind that the measures that you might take for tornado safety will be very different from those for a flood or fire, so you should have a specific plan in place for each potential emergency. In addition, it is critical to have an adequate means of communication with your residents for each contingency.
Clear Instructions
Short, focused instructions and leadership help keep residents from panicking; they also ensure that everyone knows what to do during the emergency. This helps dispel confusion and saves valuable time that residents can use to get to safety. Since every emergency requires different actions, it is important to send specific instructions for the particular event at hand. This may include directing people to fire escapes in the event of an apartment fire or a map showing directions to higher ground in the event of widespread flooding. Regardless of the type of emergency, clear instructions are crucial to ensure that your residents are able to act in a safe and appropriate manner.
Immediate Communication
As the residential manager, it is up to you to ensure that your residents are aware of emergencies occurring in your community. Immediate and direct communication ensures that your residents are kept up to date with the latest information, and allows them to react in a timely fashion. Whether it is getting to a lower level or basement to weather a tornado or evacuating the location due to wildfires, residents need as much time and detailed instructions as you can give them. It is not safe to assume that everyone has access to the same emergency warning systems and information that you do, so keeping your residents in the loop when it comes to warnings will help you keep everyone on the same page.
Choose Notifii Connect for Your Emergency Communication Needs
Emergencies can occur at any time. Whether you are in an area prone to fires, flash floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, or hurricanes, Notifii Connect is designed to help ensure that your residents have sufficient instruction and timely warnings to get out of harm’s way. Our state-of-the-art communication technology allows you to notify your residents of current, impending, or potential hazards and provide them with clear guidance.
What Is Notifii Connect?
Notifii Connect is a powerful communication platform that allows you to send automated SMS and email messages to members of your community. We offer both desktop and mobile apps, which allow you to reach your residents from anywhere. If you need to send a message to an individual or a select group of people, Notifii Connect allows you to customize the recipients of your message so you can get it to the right people. Finally, to help you keep track of your messages, you can search your history or pull reports to analyze the effectiveness of your texts or emails. This allows you to tailor your messaging for optimal communication in every situation.
Learn more about Notifii Connect and how it can enhance your emergency communication for residential on-site property management with a free demo.