Paramedics may need to reach an individual lot during an emergency, particularly in buildings with electronic security. If access arrangements are unclear, delays could put lives at risk.
Your body corporate should consider how emergency services can reach the building, common property and individual apartments without relying on office-hours assistance.
How can paramedics access a body corporate building?
In a serious or life-threatening emergency, call Triple Zero (000) for police, fire or ambulance services. Building access planning does not replace calling emergency services.
Access arrangements will depend on the building’s design and security systems. Paramedics may need to move through a locked entrance, use a lift or reach a particular apartment.
Committees, building managers and residents should know who can assist after hours and where access information is kept. This is especially useful when the manager’s office is not staffed overnight.
What access powers apply during an emergency?
The Body Corporate and Community Management Act 1997 deals with rights under statutory easements. Where an easement allows the body corporate to enter a lot to carry out work, reasonable written notice is normally required. That notice requirement does not apply if the work is needed because of, or is in the nature of, an emergency.
This provision applies to the body corporate’s statutory easement rights. Ambulance officers and other emergency services may have separate powers.
Can a body corporate enter an apartment in an emergency?
The body corporate’s role includes managing and controlling common property, while lot owners are generally responsible for maintaining their own lots.
Whether the body corporate can enter depends on the scheme’s plan of subdivision, community management statement and regulation module. The registered survey plan identifies the boundaries of the lots and common property, and the community management statement identifies the applicable regulation module.
For more information, read when a body corporate can enter a lot.
What emergency access arrangements can a body corporate consider?
A body corporate could consider:
- checking whether building entrances, gates and lifts can be accessed during an emergency
- keeping current after-hours contact details for the building manager, caretaker or body corporate manager
- investigating whether a master key could be stored in a secure key safe
- considering whether an intercom, access card or other system needs an emergency procedure
- recording who is responsible for reviewing and updating the arrangements.
A key safe should be in a suitable common area and protected against misuse. Check any proposed arrangement with the relevant emergency service and security provider before adopting it. Do not assume that an intercom code or key safe can be registered with Queensland Ambulance Service.
You can also read Keys, fobs, swipe cards and security access.
How should a building prepare for forced entry or after-hours contact?
A building may need a plan for securing a lot if emergency access damages a door, lock or other part of the premises. The plan could include current after-hours contact details for the lot owner, building manager, caretaker or body corporate manager.
Keep those details in a secure, accessible location and review them regularly. Emergencies can happen outside office hours, so relying only on weekday contact arrangements may not be enough.
Planning access, keeping contacts current and calling Triple Zero promptly can help emergency services reach residents when it matters. If your committee needs help reviewing building access arrangements, contact our team at reception@stratacare.com.au.
