Randy McGill, IAHA President and Executive Director of Kankakee County Housing Authority
On April 19, 2017, MHQ client, the Illinois Association of Housing Authorities (IAHA) held its 2½-day annual Maintenance and Management Clinic in Decatur, Illinois. At the event, the Decatur Fire Department (DFD) literally set things on fire, leading a “Fire Prevention and Side-by-Side Burn Demo.”
To demonstrate how fast a fire can spread without a sprinkler system, the DFD intentionally set two fires in the event hotel’s parking lot.
According to IAHA, a key to fire safety for those who live and work in high-rise structures is to practice high-rise specific fire safety and prevention behaviors.
“It was important for IAHA to educate our housing authority members on ways to lower the risk of fires,” said IAHA President Randy McGill.” “It gave maintenance and management staff great insight as to how fires can happen incredibly fast, and tools to keep tenants safe by helping them to avoid fires.”
