Going Away
Lots can happen when you are away from your apartment for a little while—a leaking pipe can do untold damage if left to leak for a few days or weeks. Here are some simple ‘To do’ tips if going away:
- Leave your contact details and a key with the Building Manager in case of emergency.
- Turn off the water to the fridge and dishwasher.
- Turn off the water and power to the hot-water system.
Need to turn off the water urgently?
- The tap for water going into the apartment is typically located in the ceiling of the main bathroom.
- The water going to the air-conditioning unit is controlled by two valves adjacent to the unit—one is a lever and one is a tap. Both need to be turned off.
High winds
The winds that whistle around Moreton View Tower and Villas can come up very quickly and cause untold damage. In recent years:
- Tables have blown off balconies and smashed through the glass balustrades on mid level floors, littering the floors below and the courtyards on level 4 with broken furniture and glass.
- One glass-topped table took flight from a balcony, crashed into another balcony and resulted in the table and shattered glass in the pool.
It is not just plastic chairs and tables that take flight; heavy furniture also takes flight in times of very high winds. Damage to private property includes broken furniture, smashed roofs and pergolas and damage to common areas, including broken fences and broken glass in the pool. The likelihood of costs and damages to the resident arising from such incidents can be quite severe.
The Body Corporate impresses on you the importance of this matter and asks all lot owners and residents to take the following actions, some permanent and others when there are high wind warnings or when going away:
- Move light- and medium-weight furniture and pot plants off the balcony to an inside area.
- Replace lightweight furniture with furniture heavy enough to need no further restraint.
- Bond or otherwise fasten glass tabletops to their bases.
- Permanently restrain balcony furniture using sufficient weights or tie downs to ensure that the furniture does not move under extreme weather conditions. Suitable weights include sandbags (see http://www.greatweights.com.au), small dumbbells, lead weights, all of which can be tied to furniture. Consider the additional safety of having a number of anchor points installed that can be connected to furniture by strong octopus straps.
- Stack chairs wherever possible to reduce the surface area before weighing or tying down.
- Restrain barbecue lids by strapping these to the barbecue. Weigh down lightweight barbecues.
- Lock or chock the wheels of barbecues.
- Audit your balcony to ensure that all items are sensibly restrained.
Access security
Please do not tailgate when entering the carparks. If you are suspicious about someone entering the carpark whilst you have the door raised, please contact the Building Manager during business hours or security after hours on 0401 035 310.
Fire in the building
How to raise an alarm
If a fire occurs or you smell smoke:
- Operate the BREAK GLASS ALARM located in each of the lift lobbies beside each of the Fire Exit doors. Please make yourself aware of both locations in case one is blocked by a hazard.
- Ring the Fire Service on 000.
- During office hours, contact the Building Manager; after hours, contact Security on 0401 035 310.
Emergency procedures
MVTV alarm system has two alarm tones:
- Alert alarm—“beep beep”—to which the Fire Service and Security staff will respond. There is no need to evacuate on this alarm unless there is fire or smoke in the immediate vicinity.
- Evacuation alarm—“whoop whoop”—which means that conditions exist in the building requiring complete evacuation.
Evacuation procedures
All persons must evacuate from your apartment. Please familiarise yourself with the fire evacuation diagrams—each apartment should have a copy and there is a copy in each lift foyer.
- Exit via the fire exit stairwells. Do not use the lifts.
- Go to the assembly areas and stay there until directed to return to the building.
- If you have mobility-impaired persons in your apartment, stay in your apartment but notify the Building Manager of your position. Alternatively, recognising that the Building Manager might not be in his office at this time, notify a friend or neighbour and ask them to advise the Building Manager or Fire Service officers on site. The Fire Service will make the call as to whether it is safe for you to stay in the apartment or they will arrange assistance for the evacuation of the mobility-impaired person.
Fire hoses and extinguishers
Fire hoses and extinguishers are located throughout the tower, including on each residential floor. They are clearly signed and directions for use are clearly marked on the appliances. The fire extinguishers are the dry-powder variety.
For additional safety, it is recommended that each apartment is equipped with at least one smaller model carbon dioxide fire extinguisher and a fire blanket, located near each kitchen.