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The Red Cross of New Jersey
Whenever an unexpected crisis arises, be it a severe winter storm, a fire, or a national emergency like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina, there's one constant—one symbol that people associate with beginning the struggle back to normalcy. That symbol is the Red Cross, and for more than a century, volunteers from Red Cross chapters across the country and around the world have made it their business to ease the pain and fear of disaster victims both natural and man-made. The people of New Jersey have their own guardians in the form of the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey. Read More
What to Keep in Mind
One of the most important things for an urban or suburban dweller to know about his or her condo, co-op or HOA is often the one thing that everyone forgets about—that is, what to do in the event of an emergency. While it's true that the basics of preventing and surviving disasters like fires should be well known to anybody living in an apartment building, condominium or townhouse unit, there is no "one-size-fits all" emergency plan for a multi-family dwelling. Each community is different, with different physical equipment, different building materials and different emergency escape routes. Read More
Suburban Security
Whether you live in a gated or non-gated community in the New Jersey suburbs or the city, your home should be a safe-haven and sanctuary in which you can feel secure and protected from crime and other threats. So when it comes to the community you live in, what is being done to make your surroundings and neighborhood a safer, more secure place to live? Association residents, board members, and managers must work together to ensure that your community is safe, and residents' safety, property, and peace of mind are well in hand. Read More
Preventing Crime in Your HOA
Even with crime rates decreasing and cities improving their safety profiles, crime and public safety are still issues we all must deal with in both urban and suburban environments. One of the worst things a board/management team can do is turn a blind eye to crime, thinking 'it won't happen to us.' Criminals don't care about zip code, or the number of people in your community, or whether you live in a large city or a small town. Crime happens everywhere and the best way we can prepare for it is to realize that it could, indeed, happen to us. Read More
Fire Safety for Your Building's Employees
The fires this past October in southern California were a sharp reminder of the power and ferocity of this deadly element. Fire can spread quickly and without warning, often catching the people near it off-guard and vulnerable. Sometimes those people are the individuals who care for and protect the buildings and communities in which we live. For co-op and condo employees such as superintendents, janitorial crews, porters and doormen, the risk of fire can be a real one and is certainly something for which they and the board or managers of a building should be prepared, not only for their own safety but for the safety of the families around them. Read More
The Power of a Neighborhood Watch
Neighbors helping neighbors. It's a simple adage and one that holds immeasurable power when it comes to keeping communities safe. Over the years, neighborhood watch groups have grown in number, having a positive impact on the reduction of crime in communities throughout the country. Read More
Safety and Training for HOA Staff
Throughout her career as a safety management consultant and certified safety professional, Deb Potter Ph.D. has heard her share of tragic stories about building staff members injured on the job. Read More
Hiring Security for Your HOA
Different HOAs take varying approaches to securing their properties—some rely entirely on video surveillance, some utilize intercom systems and leave it at that, and others want a living, breathing security personnel to patrol and guard their community. Hiring security staff is no small undertaking, however—there are multiple questions and issues that must be considered in order to ensure the safety of residents and protect your association from unnecessary liability. Read More
Caring for At-Risk Residents
New Jersey and New York are famous (perhaps infamous) for their residents' philosophy of minding their own business—dress as a giant chicken, sport a revolutionary haircut…nobody minds. This attitude is great if you're a young person expressing your inner bohemian—but somewhat less great if you're an elderly person or someone with a mental or physical handicap, or a kid with working parents taking care of younger siblings. Who looks out for these folks when there is a fire, flood, power outage, hurricane or other emergency? Read More
Fire Safety in Homeowner Associations
In January of this year, a devastating blaze ripped through an Edison apartment building in Edison leaving one woman dead, five people injured and up to 100 others homeless. In March, a space heater ignited a mattress causing a fire that gutted one building and destroyed two others in New Brunswick. In May, an unattended cigarette caused a three-alarm fire that destroyed two condominium units and damaged 14 others in East Windsor. Read More
