Recent news in Crans-Montana reminds us with force that the risk of fire is never zero, even in the heart of our resorts and villages. As an owner or tenant in the Canton of Vaud, the safety of your housing rests on two pillars: respect for cantonal standards (ECA / AEAI) and daily vigilance in the maintenance of your installations. At Gérance Service, we make your safety an absolute priority. Here is a complete update on the rules in force and the right reflexes to adopt.

1. The legal framework: Understanding ECA / AEAI requirements

In the canton of Vaud, safety is governed by the standards of the ECA (Fire Insurance Establishment) which relies on the Swiss directives of the AEAI. These rules are not simple recommendations, but legal obligations.

Access to buildings Access to buildings as well as to technical rooms (electricity, heating, elevators, ventilation, etc.) must be guaranteed permanently, 24/7, for emergency services. Only the solutions below are admitted:

• Firefighter key tube sealed to the outside of the building,

• Non-lockable main door (long entry),

• Digicode officially communicated, validated, and kept up to date with the local fire service (after agreement in principle with the latter). Any other solution is considered non-compliant.

Technical rooms Technical rooms (heating, electricity, elevators, ventilation, etc.) must:

• be accessible without delay,

• be equipped with cylinders compatible with KABA 5000,

• never be locked without a compliant access solution.

Exits and evacuation Furthermore, the exit and evacuation routes of buildings must:

• remain free and functional at all times,

• contain no device hindering rapid opening without auxiliary means (key, badge, …),

• not be subject to any unauthorized individual modification.

In this context, and in order to guarantee the safety of persons and property, adaptations have been or will be put in place by the administrator of your PPE [Condominium] when necessary. These measures fall under a legal obligation of safety and do not constitute a choice of convenience.

Technical maintenance The ECA imposes periodic revisions for detection equipment, fire extinguishers, and dry risers. Gérance Service coordinates these interventions, but the vigilance of each co-owner regarding the general state of the installations is precious. Do you wish to go further? Find here a letter from Fire Protection Quality Assurance, a technical office specialized in fire protection.

2. Prevention in the apartment: The right reflexes

A fire often begins with a domestic incident. Here are the points of vigilance identified by fire engineers:

Maintain chimney flues (Sweeping) This is the number 1 cause of structure fires in winter. The accumulation of soot in the smoke channels is highly flammable.

• The rule: A sweeping at least once a year is normally mandatory. However, pursuant to the decree of 28 September 1990 (AFTRO), art. 2 no. 1.4, the master chimney sweep may reduce the frequency if circumstances justify it.

  • In practice, experience has shown that an inspection/sweeping approximately every four years is sufficient for chimneys in buildings that are used only occasionally, as most apartments are not regularly occupied.

  • It remains the responsibility of the owners to arrange more frequent sweeping in cases where fireplaces are used regularly during the winter. As a guideline, a fireplace used almost daily during the heating season (4 to 6 steres of wood consumed) should be swept annually.

  • To simplify coordination and limit intervention costs, scheduling is organized in coordination with Gérance Service, allowing a single visit per building.

• Our local partners:

  • In the Commune of Ollon: Constance Ambresin (Ambresin Ramonage) – 079 925 47 73

  • In the Communes of Gryon & Bex: Fellay Steve (Ramonagest) – 079 513 10 82

Clean the kitchen hood The fats that accumulate in the filters and ducts of your hood are a formidable fuel. A simple fire start on a cooking hob can then spread to the entire structure.

• The advice: Clean your filters every 3 months (or more if you often cook fried foods).

Control your electrical installations An outdated installation or overloaded sockets are at the origin of many short circuits.

• The obligation: An inspection of the electrical installation every 20 years is required for apartments. In case of doubt, do not wait for the deadline to request a control.

• Vigilance: Avoid “cascading” power strips which heat up abnormally.

Check fire extinguishers and emergency equipment An extinguisher is only useful if it is functional at moment T.

• The action: They must remain accessible and be visually inspected on a regular basis. Periodic professional maintenance is required in accordance with AEAI standards to ensure adequate pressure and proper operation of the equipment.

• In properties managed by Gérance Service, maintenance contracts are systematically in place with specialized companies, in most cases with CHUBB-Sicli, in order to ensure optimal upkeep of the installations.

Maintain ventilation systems Dust and deposits in ventilation ducts can spread flames and toxic fumes from one floor to another. Periodic cleaning of the shafts is a major safety investment.

3. Gérance Service takes action

We do not content ourselves with advising: we act to guarantee the compliance of your PPE.

Audit and compliance We have launched a campaign to identify buildings presenting non-compliances. Our approach is structured in three steps:

1. Identification: Spotting critical points (clutter, missing signage, defective doors).

2. Immediate correction: When technically and budgetarily possible, we implement adaptations without waiting.

3. Governance: This point will be systematically included on the agenda of the next general assemblies to validate more substantial works.

The example of the GAMAT complex GAMAT, our largest real estate ensemble, is currently the subject of a complete expertise by a fire engineer. Given the size of the complex and certain risky behaviors observed (storage in common areas), this study will allow for the definition of a tailor-made and exemplary safety plan.

Conclusion

Fire safety rests on a contract of trust between the manager, who looks after the installations, and the owner, who adopts the right gestures. By anticipating together, we protect not only your investment, but above all the lives of the residents. Let us remain vigilant. Source.