Campus Fire Safety

 

 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.

Resources

Live Safe.org

National Fire Protection Association

 

Bartenders Belch Fire

Just a reminder to be sure that you remain in compliance with all fire codes when utilizing flame effects, and pyrotechnics.

Two Virginia bartenders face up to 45 years in prison for their Friday night firebreathing act. The men were hauled off in cuffs around midnight in late July without any warning from police or fire marshalls.

Jimmy's Old Town Tavern bartenders have performed the fire-breathing act for 13 years, at first doing the tricks on special occasions like birthdays or to honor a fallen fireman, police officer or soldier, [owner Jimmy] Cirrito said. By 1999, the fire-breathing bartenders had become a Friday midnight tradition, he said. The bar uses the fire-breathing bartenders on its advertisements....


Fairfax County fire investigators charged Tegee Rogers, 33, of Herndon, and Justin Fedorchak, 39, of Manassas, with manufacturing an explosive device, setting a fire capable of spreading, and burning or destroying a meeting house. They also were charged with several state fire code misdemeanors.


Both men have worked at the tavern nearly since it opened. They both recently became fathers and are very anxious about facing serious criminal charges...


These guys—reliable bartenders with a special skill that has been drawing Friday night customers to a local bar for more than ten years—could potentially wind up with rap sheets that imply they are Al Qaeda agents.
Click 'here' for original article

Fire Performance Thwarted

If you are in the entertainment/club industry, avoid this happening to you.  Consult a professional in regards to national/local codes and regulations.

Fire officials thwart illegal fire performance at Mass. rave
Officials did research on the production company and anticipated the type of performance -- By Brian Lee


SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — Fire officials said they thwarted a production company's attempt to pull off a forbidden fire performance at a rave Saturday at the 12 Crane St. art and entertainment complex.

There were 400 to 450 people at the rave. Most were outside, where burgers, water, fruit juices and fruit shakes were sold. Alcohol was served inside.

Fire Chief Richard J. Ciesla Jr. said he was on watch from 6:30 p.m. until closing. The number of people inside the building did not exceed its occupancy permits, and safety was never in question, fire officials said.

However, the company was not forthcoming about what the event would be, Fire Lt. Steven R. Lavoie said. In addition to meeting with the building owner and company Wednesday, and doing a walkthrough Thursday, fire officials did research on the production company. It found that some of the things it has done elsewhere were not approved by the Southbridge officials.

Though production company employees said they would comply with Southbridge officials' requests not to have any kind of open uncontained fire, they tried to put on just that type of fire performance anyway.

"Had we (police and fire) not been on top of our game, it probably could have been a lot worse," Lt. Lavoie said.
Keith Woods, owner of Tight Crew, the production company, said he was not told ahead of time about restrictions on a fire performance. "As soon as I was told it was an issue I made everybody that we had flown in specially - professional fire performers - they all packed it up."


Read the entire article here -- http://tinyurl.com/2c9cy77

Pet Fire Safety Day

An estimated 500,000 pets are affected annually by home fires, and new data shows that nearly 1,000 house fires each year are accidentally started by the homeowners’ pets.  July 15 has been declared Pet Fire Safety Day! Pet Fire Safety Day purposes to spread awareness about how to prevent pets from starting home fires and keep pets safe in the event of an emergency.



“Not many pet owners realize that their pet can actually be the cause of a devastating fire,” said AKC spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “Simple preventative measures, such as flameless candles and removing stove knobs when leaving the house, can mean the difference between life and death for your four-legged friends.”

“Planning for unexpected emergencies like home fires and taking these precautions are an integral part of responsible dog ownership,” Peterson said.

The following tips can prevent your beloved pet from starting a fire, and keep them safe:

• Extinguish open flames
• Remove stove knobs -- stoves/cooktops are the number one cause of pet started fires
• Invest in flameless candles
• Beware of water bowls on wooden decks -- the sun’s rays when filtered through the glass and water can actually heat up and ignite the wooden deck beneath it.
• Pet proof the home
• Keep pets near entrances when away from home -- so firefighters can easily find them
• Secure young pets
• Practice escape routes with pets
• Consider using monitored smoke detection services
• Affix a pet alert window cling

The NVFC has a listing of fire departments across the nation where pet owners can obtain a free pet alert window cling as part of National Pet Fire Safety Day. Visit www.nvfc.org/windowclings to find a location near you.

The clings are also free online at www.adt.com/pets.

More information also available from aspca.org