Arson burns everyone. It's often a crime of opportunity, making it important for your business to take proactive steps to address the risk on your property.
STEP 1 - Property Maintenance
- Keep the property well-lit at night. Replace all burnt-out bulbs. Install lighting, including motion sensor lights, in dark and secluded areas.
Outer fences, walls and gates should be high and strong. - Trim shrubs and trees to eliminate potential hiding places.
- Secure all external ladders and stairways so unauthorized individuals do not have access to upper floors and roofs.
- Use good deadbolt locks on all doors and secure all windows.
- Install a monitored burglar and fire alarm system.
- Do a perimeter check of the building at closing to ensure all access points are secure.
- Erase graffiti and repair any vandalism as soon as possible. If your premises appear to be run-down, the greater the chance of being attacked by vandals or arsonists.
- Do not store items close to utility services, hydro and gas meters.
- Report all suspicious activity to the Chatham-Kent Police at 519-352-1234.
STEP 2 - Keep Combustibles Out of Sight
- Dispose of all garbage properly. Ensure that garbage bins are kept at least 25 feet away from buildings and are emptied as soon as possible when full. Lock bins after hours.
- Store combustible materials, wood pallets and empty cardboard away from all buildings.
- Store chemicals and other flammable liquids in their proper place, and restrict access to them by locking them up in a fire-resistant cabinet when not in use.
- Familiarize yourself with fire hazards inherent in common combustibles that your business may use, such as paper packaging, oils or building materials.
STEP 3 - Practice Fire Safety
- Install smoke alarms as well as automatic and tamper-proof sprinklers and have them inspected and tested by a qualified contractor annually.
- Develop a proper fire safety plan and ensure designated people are aware of their responsibilities for fire safety.
- Do not leave any exit area cluttered. Make sure exit pathways are clear in case of an emergency.
- Educate employees about arson prevention and fire safety. Ensure firefighting equipment is maintained and that staff is trained on how to use it.
- Back up information to the Cloud or another device off-site so you don't lose all your documentation in the event of a fire.
