2022 Annual Security And Fire Safety Report

Section 6: Fire Safety

Fire Safety Education

Every year all residence life staff, including RA’s (every semester), Hall Directors and Assistant Directors, are given a Fire Safety training with a PowerPoint Presentation by the Coordinator of Campus Safety & Security. Every residence hall room is supplied with a Campus Fire Safety brochure, which are available across campus. Fire Safety and Evacuation Procedures are posted at each residence hall, and the following guidelines are printed in student handbook:

Fire Safety Standards

Though extremely rare, the potential for fires is a very real concern. To help protect yourself know the following:

  • Items that require an open flame to operate (candles, incense, etc.) may not be used in your room or in any other area in the hall.
  • Know the location of all fire exits, fire alarms, and fire extinguishers on your floor.
  • Keep stairwell doors closed at all times. Hallway fire doors must be closed in the event of a fire, but may remain open on a day-to-day basis or at the discretion of the hall director.
  • Do not bring firearms, ammunition, fireworks, explosives, or dangerous chemicals (gasoline, paint thinner, etc.) into the residence halls.
  • Halogen lights are prohibited.
  • Plugging one extension cord into another is prohibited.
  • If you need more outlets, use an overload surge cord, rather than a multiple outlet extension cord.
  • Do not cover light fixtures with any combustible materials, such as acetate, cellophane, or tissue.
  • No items may be hung from ceilings in residence hall rooms, and no nails, bolts, screws, etc. should be put in ceilings. Room decorations and furniture should not block visual access into the room from the doorway for safety reasons.

Fire Evacuation Procedures

Complete and immediate evacuation of your residence hall is required once an alarm has sounded. The Fire Department will be called every time an alarm sounds, even when it is a prank.

Safety Prevention Programs

Each residence hall conducts a campus personal safety program each semester and conduct fire drills on a regular basis. Attendance is required of residents. Written materials are made available in each hall lobby which reviews keeping oneself safe on a college campus.

Hazards

If you feel certain conditions in your residence hall are a hazard to you and other residents, such as lights out in a stairwell, wet stairs, etc., contact your RA or RHD so that they may remedy the problem.

The information below is in the Campus Fire Safety brochure:

Fire Sprinkler Systems

  • Fire Sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene. Do Not Tamper with Sprinkler systems.
  • Never hang anything from sprinkler pipes or sprinkler heads (nozzles).

Candles

  • Open flames are not allowed on this Campus.
  • During a power outage, use flashlights only.

Cooking

  • Only microwaves 700 watts or less are allowed in the dorms.
  • Never leave any cooking unattended, even in a microwave. If a fire starts in a microwave, do not open the door, unplug the unit only if you feel safe to do so, pull the fire alarm immediately
  • Cook only when you are alert & not sleepy or drowsy from alcohol or medicine.

Electrical

  • Use Surge Protectors, but do not use an extension cord in between the power source & surge protector, or the unit and the electronics and don’t link multiple surge protectors together.
  • Never use ungrounded power cords
  • Never place power cords across traffic paths or under carpets or furniture & never tack or nail cords

Escape Tips

  • Learn evacuation and escape routes and participate in fire drills as if they are the real thing. False Alarms are no joke – report them to Campus Safety or Fire Department personnel.
  • Make an escape plan with two ways out of every room. Make sure that all windows and doors open easily.
  • When an alarm sounds, do not stay and collect items. Get out quickly and stay out until Fire, Law Enforcement or Safety Officials notify you that it is safe to return.
  • Feel the door and door knob with the back of your hand for heat before opening, exit if it is safe to do so. Close doors behind you.
  • If there is smoke, crawl on the floor - with your head as close to the floor as possible, as quickly as you can to safety.
  • Check in at the designated staging area.

Fire Extinguishers

  • Know where Fire Extinguishers are, and learn how and when to use them. But, don’t try to put out a fire if you don’t feel comfortable doing so.
  • Learn the PASS system, Pull, Aim, Squeeze and Sweep