Here's why you should always be prepared if you oversee an old building

Expect the unexpected in your aging building

A Chicago polling place was the site of a burst overhead pipe on election day – causing a huge mess, showering paper ballots, disrupting voters and triggering a visit from the local fire department for damage control. Voters were redirected to another building. A poll worker said she heard a hissing sound, then she was showered with water.

The building, which was built in the late 1870s, has been rehabilitated and refurbished through capital projects as recently as 2020.

School facility managers working in aging buildings are not alone. Researchers say that 72% of buildings in the US are 20+ years old and 1 in 3 buildings are 50+ years old.

The ability to quickly locate shut-offs, access points and procedures and share them with first responders is vitally important so equipment can be repaired.

In some cases, it might be necessary to shut off electricity as well, depending on the leak’s location and size.

School facility teams equipped with a mobile app from ARC Facilities have instant access – by just tapping on their mobile devices – to detailed building plans, equipment information, first responder and emergency plan information. Because facilities teams are constantly on the go, they need to be in constant communication with one another and key contacts outside their building in the event of emergencies like burst pipes, floods and fires.

“Our relationship with police, fire and emergency management has developed into a partnership. We’re giving access to all our fire and police personnel. It’s become very valuable and helps them do their job better,” said Marco Gaylord, Director of Operations, Middletown School District, Middletown, Connecticut.

To learn how the ARC Facilities app can provide a major boost in emergency preparedness for schools and universities, request a demo today.