In an effort to create awareness within BOMA and the commercial real estate industry, the first ever BOMA San Diego Emergency Preparedness committee was formed.

The committee’s first workshop was an interactive round table discussion about lessons learned from the 2011 San Diego blackout. This brainstorming session was strictly for property managers and it generated a great deal of enthusiasm and action planning to prepare for future blackouts in San Diego.

Some of the challenges discussed included communication problems, traffic concerns and emergency generator deficiencies. One solution that has already been created to assist communication during an emergency is a BOMA Emergency Twitter account. This will be used for a discussion forum among property managers, engineers and service providers to help each other if phones are not working.

The next Emergency Preparedness committee workshop will be held Wednesday, April 25, 2012, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Using the same format on the same topic, it will be held exclusively for building engineers and service providers to discuss the challenges they faced, as well as solutions to existing concerns.

This workshop is also being supported by the San Diego Building Engineers Association (www.SDBEA.org).

The committee invites all property managers to attend the committee meetings, held on the fourth Wednesday of every month at noon.

If you are interested in participating in this committee, please email the committee chair Barry Garson at bgarson@jmkeystone.com

See flyer below for details.

RSVP by 4/4/12 (dnichols@cavignac.com).

After four years in the restoration business, J&M is excited about her new opportunity within our industry, but in another exciting field.

Cosco dedicates their time to inspecting, maintaining, and servicing all fire protection systems (sprinklers, extinguishers, pumps, alarms, hoods, hydrants, etc.).

Karen will be composing your bids and scheduling your jobs in a way that makes the job work with your building’s budgets and timing.

Karen is excited and encouraged about her new position because of the overwhelmingly positive feedback she has received from those who have worked with Cosco in the past.

Cosco inspects, maintains, and services the following systems:

• Fire Alarm & Life Safety Equipment
• Wet-Pipe & Dry-Pipe Fire Sprinkler Systems
• Pre-Action & Deluge Fire Sprinkler Systems
• Special Hazard Systems
• Fire Suppression Equipment & Systems
• Fire Extinguishers
• Backflow Preventers
• Emergency Lighting
• Fire Pumps
• Restaurant Kitchen Systems
• Private Hydrants
• Valves
• Other (Hose racks, fire department connections, etc.)

Below, you may take a look at the requirements involved with the maintenance of these systems.

Cosco has been in business for over 50 years and has a fantastic, long-standing reputation in customer service, quality of work, and competitive pricing. They do all aspects of all jobs in-house, which most others do not.

They are the largest west coast fire protection company, but they locally operated in San Diego!

Aside from the inspections, Cosco does maintenance, repairs, retrofitting, installation, and design, just to name a few services.

Some of Cosco’s recent and current projects include the San Diego Airport, the new downtown San Diego library, new student housing at UCSD, and more.

For any inquiries, please contact Karen (Pretzel) Wujek, your local account manager.

Karen (Pretzel) Wujek, Account Manager – Inspections & Testing

Cell: 619.247.9175 - Office: 858.444.2000 x 1704  -  kwujek@coscofire.com

10695 Treena Street, Suite 105  -  San Diego, CA 92131

The water that flows through a flooded area can cause terrible damage. The water will follow the path of least resistance, picking up everything in its way and carrying it through its course. Things that float become projectiles that can smash through windows and damage entire houses. The water from the flood can cause just as much, if not more, damage than the objects that are floating within it. Water can seep into a home and cause cracks, mildew, and decay. It can destroy entire structures with ease.

Finding a Flood Restoration Contractor in San Diego

The good news is that there are San Diego restoration companies with the know-how to fix the damage that can be caused by a flood. They understand the way these damages occur, and they provide the help that is necessary to restore homes, businesses, schools and any other property that has been damaged by a flood. They help to ease the minds of the victims by providing a service that can seem like a large task. They take pride in their work, and they do the best job possible to help the victims carry on and get back to life as it once was before.

Contact J&M Keystone today for your flood damage restoration needs.

(800) 368-2757

Lessons Learned from the 2011 Blackout

The BOMA Emergency Preparedness Committee has put together a Round Table Event for property managers to discuss lessons learned from the 2011 blackout.

If you are interested in attending this event, please register as early as possible. Space is limited to the first 50 property managers to register! Follow this link to register now:

http://www.bomasd.org/pieventsmgmtsys.asp?itemid=83&submit=getrecord&recordid=553

For details, see the flyer below. Remember, space is limited!

One of the things Kurt has learned over those years is to know who to call not if, but when a disaster strikes. He knew exactly who to call when he was contacted with an emergency on one of his properties in August—J&M Keystone, Inc.

He was in Phoenix when he received a call from the on-site maintenance director of the Beach Colony Apartment Community, one of the properties that Douglas Allred manages in Del Mar, Calif. Kurt was informed that a large fire was burning apartment units as they spoke (left).

Kurt planned to call J&M after dealing with the initial issues of the disaster, but as it turned out, J&M was already “plugged in” to the issue. Barry Garson, Vice President of Business Development, had contacted Douglas Allred and informed them that J&M was ready to respond at a moment’s notice.

That evening, J&M boarded up and fortified the structure, complying with the firedepartment requirements, working well into the night to effectively stabilize the property (right).

The following afternoon, Kurt met with his on-site maintenance director, several J&M representatives, his insurance adjuster, and his insurance broker, all before 24 hours had expired. Together, they discussed the damage and created an action plan to get the restoration process.

From that point, J&M remained involved, providing necessities like temporary power, board ups, pressure washing, and general cleanup around the property, as well as helping coordinate environmental testing.

Following that, Dennis Songer, Sr. Estimator at J&M, indicated that procurement of a building permit would be required for the repairs. Because of Dennis’s experience, he knew that weeks of time would be saved if the permit was procured as early as possible. J&M even provided an architect to assess the situation, and Dennis submitted the details to the City of Del Mar to get the permit process underway.

At that point, the insurance company was very pleased with the way that the Douglas Allred Company and J&M Keystone had handled the emergency situation, saying that it was one of the timeliest responses that they had ever experienced. This allowed for no problems with the insurance company reimbursing Doug Allred for lost revenues.

Above all, “because [Douglas Allred] had this kind of resource of information coming to [them], [they] were able to comply fully with the expectations of the insurance company,” Kurt explained. “J&M acted as an advocate for us and as a steering force to help us move forward.”

The J&M Difference

Kurt said that J&M stands out because “the depth of personnel that J&M can muster on short notice is very impressive.”

Kurt is no stranger when it comes to seeing the excellent performance of J&M, with many past emergencies in buildings he manages, including a New Year’s Day flood in his very own office. For this holiday flood and for all of the other disasters he has experienced, Kurt has had the necessary number of capable and qualified J&M personnel on the site.

“Any company can contain a small amount of water,” Kurt said, “but it takes a company like J&M to handle a massive flood in a large office or a 4-unit apartment fire.”

According to Kurt, there are three different types of companies:

1. There are companies that promise the “world” and simply do not deliver.
2. There are companies that provide the basic expectation.
3. There are companies like J&M—they have a wealth of knowledge and resources to not only get the job done, but to truly help expedite the process.

“With J&M, we are always able to breathe easy.”

1. Appropriate Licensing
   1. Confirm that the contractor holds a current license for the type of work involved with your project.
   2. There is very little power you will hold if something goes wrong under the supervision of an unlicensed contractor.
2. Insurance
   1. Verify that the contractor has general liability and workers compensation insurance, at the very least.
   2. You may be held liable if something goes wrong under the supervision of an uninsured contractor.
3. Finances
   1. The financial stability of your contractor is important to ensure that your project will be completed and you will be paid in a timely manner.
   2. Many contractors have been unable to stay in business, due to the current economic conditions.
4. Affiliations
   1. You will usually find that a contractor who is affiliated with professional organizations, such as Contractor Connection, has more accountability than those that are not.
5. Professionalism & Experience
   1. Ensure that your company has had plenty of experience in the type of job that will be involved.
   2. You want to hire a professional company who is reliable and trustworthy.
6. Warranty
   1. Most professional contractors offer a workmanship warranty for at least one year.
   2. You want to hire an ethical company that is willing to stand behind their work.
7. Quotes & Bids
   1. You want quote or bid that outlines every detail of the project ahead, and a price that is based on industry standards.
   2. If the bid or pricing are unclear, be sure your contractor thoroughly explains this information.
8. Contract
   1. A written contract should be in place when you elect to hire a contractor.
   2. This contract should include the start date, estimated completion date, warranty information, and total price (with a pricing schedule, if applicable).
9. Communication
   1. Clear communication is the key to a successful renovation project.
   2. You should establish a primary and a secondary point of contact prior to the start of the project.
10. Final Decision
    1. You should factor in every element of the project before making a final decision.
    2. Do not base your decision on price, alone.

We are honored to have Barry as a part of the J&M Keystone team!