In addition to a spectacular view of the New York City skyline, the town of Montclair, New Jersey can make another impressive geographic boast: it arose from the ashes of a volcanic ridge, known today as the Watchung Mountains. Perhaps…
Whenever an unexpected crisis arises, be it a severe winter storm, a fire, or a national emergency like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina, there's one constant—one symbol that people associate with beginning the struggle back to normalcy. That s…
Be Prepared" is not just a timeworn motto—it's a piece of advice that can save lives, property, and countless dollars. While the average person doesn't really think that they'll be a victim of a fire, flood, earthquake, or even a terrori…
Winter's a tough time of year. Sure making snowmen, skiing, and cozying up to a warm fire at night during a snowstorm are all fun activities but letting ice build up in your townhome's roof gutters can lead to major headaches and unnecessar…
You can't see it, smell it, or touch it, but there's some of it in your home right now—and at a certain level, it becomes deadly. It's carbon monoxide, or CO, and nearly 500 people die each year as a result of CO poisoning. According t…
Throughout her career as a safety management consultant and certified safety professional, Deb Potter Ph.D. has heard her share of tragic stories about building staff members injured on the job. "I've seen building staff members who ha…
New Jersey is the Garden State, but it also might be called the Heavy Rain, Flood and Storm State. "Not only do we have the coast, but we have hundreds of miles of rivers and bays, which does make us prone," says Hillary Cummons, a spoke…
Once a key stop on the fur-trading trail two centuries ago, Passaic, New Jersey is now a 3.2-square-mile city consisting of mixed industrial, commercial, and residential land uses and a little over 68,000 people. Located in the southeastern…
It's a familiar covenant in most New Jersey leases. The rules and regulations allowing pets may differ from association to association but the gist is the same. If you live in a multi-unit building or community and you want to keep pets,…
While the work of an association manager or superintendent is never truly done, there are certain times of the year that require specific attention to various details—and that often means more work. Winterizing a building and its surroundin…