Campus Fire Safety

Each year college and university students, on- and off-campus, experience hundreds of fire-related emergencies nationwide. There are several specific causes for fires on college campuses: cooking, intentionally set fires, and open flame. Overall, most college-related fires are due to a general lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention. The great majority of student fire deaths occur in off-campus housing that lacks insufficient exits, missing or inoperative smoke alarms, and automatic fire sprinklers. Also, use of candles, careless smoking habits, and the misuse of alcohol – which impairs judgment and hampers evacuation efforts – contribute to off-campus housing fire deaths.

As the Fall semester approaches, colleges and universities are busy preparing for the arrival of new residents to their campus communities. Some will be first year students moving into the residence halls. Other arriving students will be moving off-campus and living on their own, some for the first time. For most of these students, the last fire safety training they received was in grade school; but with new independence comes new responsibilities. It is important that both off-campus and on-campus students understand fire risks and know the preventative measures that could save their lives.

Learn the facts about campus fire safety and be fire-wise!




QUESTIONS PARENTS AND STUDENTS SHOULD ASK

There are several questions parents and students can inquire of a school to discern the
level of safety and preparedness by simply asking informed questions.

A safe school will share these answers with pride.
• How are the fire incidents on your campus? Are the incidents usually accidental
or intentional? Do you follow up with public education and informing students
of how to prevent these events in the future? How do you handle fire
investigation and an identified fire-setter in the school community?

• Which buildings are protected with an automatic fire sprinkler system? Are
sprinklers included in every new-construction project and renovation? Are all
residential buildings equipped with sprinklers? Are labs and other high risk
areas protected(such as art rooms, kitchens, mechanical areas or shops with
heavy equipment)?

• Does your college or university have a system for the security and
accountability and safe storage of chemical, biological or radioactive materials
(as applicable) with the information available 24-7?

• Does every student’s room have a smoke alarm? Does it send a signal to
campus security of the fire department? What is the power supply to the
detector? (hardwired/ battery/ both) Are batteries changed when clocks are
changed? Who provides the battery replacements?

• Are false alarms a problem in the residence halls? If not, what practices have
given you this success? If they are, what steps are being taken to correct the
situation?

For more information on Campus Fire Safety visit http://www.campusfiresafety.org/ or http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/focus/