As students return to campuses around the country, it is wise to take the time to be educated on life-saving fire safety practices. Thousands of fires occur each year in both on- and off-campus housing, many of which could have been easily prevented.
Safety Tips
- Look for housing equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system when choosing a dorm or off-campus housing.
- Make sure your dormitory or apartment has smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on each level. For the best protection, all smoke alarms should be interconnected so that when one sounds they all sound.
- Test all smoke alarms at least monthly.
- Never remove batteries or disable the alarm.
- Learn the building’s evacuation plan and practice all drills as if they were the real thing.
- If living off campus, have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.
- During a power outage, use a flashlight not candles.
- Burn candles only if the school permits their use. A candle is an open flame and should be placed away from anything that can burn. Never leave a candle unattended. Blow it out when leaving the room or going to sleep.
- Cook only where it’s permitted.
- Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Up to 75% of all structure fires involved cooking equipment.
- Cook only when you are alert, not sleepy or drowsy from medicine or alcohol.
- If you smoke, smoke outside and only where it’s permitted. Don’t smoke in bed or when you’ve been drinking or are drowsy.
- Check the school’s rules before using any electrical appliances.
- Use a surge protector for the computer and plug the protector directly into an outlet.
Live Safe.org
National Fire Protection Association
