Disasters aren't planned, but response should be.Disasters aren't planned. And the best disaster plans don't mean much during an emergency if the right people and an organization with deep experience and resources are not there to back them up. The residents of 2250 Broadway, a 123-unit, two-year-old condominium on the Upper West Side learned this lesson first-hand when sub-zero January temperatures caused a standpipe standpipe, tank or pipe for holding water in an elevated position to create pressure in a water supply system. For a tall building, where the pressure from the mains at street level is insufficient to raise the water to the upper floors, water is pumped up to the connection in a stairwell stair·well n. A vertical shaft around which a staircase has been built. stairwell Noun a vertical shaft in a building that contains a staircase Noun 1. above the seventh floor to burst late on a Saturday night Saturday Night may refer to: Music
Thousands of gallons of water cascaded down the stairwell into the hallways and began seeping seep intr.v. seeped, seep·ing, seeps 1. To pass slowly through small openings or pores; ooze. 2. To enter, depart, or become diffused gradually. n. 1. under apartment doors. A disaster that threatened the very habitability Fitness for occupancy. The requirement that rented premises, such as a house or apartment, be reasonably fit to occupy. A Warranty of habitability is an implied promise by a landlord of residential premises that such premises are fit for human habitation. of the apartments was in the making, especially since the standpipe was connected directly to the city water system - an inexhaustible supply. A quick response by the resident manager, Rene Rivera - who found the problem and shut off the standpipe saved the night. Following emergency procedures, he then alerted the property manager, Rob Halabov, CPM. Before arriving to take charge of the emergency, the property manager recruited three volunteer superintendents from other Rose-managed buildings, who operated water-extraction equipment and removed sufficient quantities of water to reduce the results of the cascade to a minor problem. Other key professionals - plumbers, insurance agents, and carpeting contractors, among others - were immediately called in by Halabov. Within three hours, the plumber had capped off the system and restored line pressurization Pressurization generally refers to the application of pressure in a given situation or environment; and more specifically refers to the process by which atmospheric pressure is maintained in an isolated or semi-isolated atmospheric environment (for instance, in an aircraft, or to maintain the integrity of the fire safety system. More than two dozen apartments had been inspected for floor-to-ceiling penetration. During this same time, the building's insurance broker made an initial inspection of the building; the board of managers was notified and warning signs were posted concerning the possibility that the stairwell might freeze. On Sunday morning Sunday Morning may refer to:
By Monday, the remaining non-resident owners were notified. Management began issuing update memos to the owners and tenants. Disaster containment was so effective that the insurance company didn't need to send their adjustor. Fast response, an experienced on-site staff, excellent execution of emergency procedures and strong organizational resources and personnel kept the disruption of the living routine to a minimum, making for a very satisfied client. |
|
||||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion