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Office of Safety, Health & Environment


Safety Tips

Fire Safety for Students

Fire & Life Safety

  • The Fire & Life Safety program focuses on the preservation and protection of life and property from fire, explosion, and natural hazards.
  • The Fire & Life Safety is guided by the National Fire Protection Association.
  • How to Use a Fire Extinguisher

Injury Prevention

Here are some things your students can do to prevent injury.

  1. Understand all evacuation routes. Evacuating quickly is the key to survival. Have them review and become familiar with evacuation routes before an emergency. During a fire, one of their routes could be blocked. If this is the case, they’ll have to find another way out.
  2. Be aware of the closest fire alarm. Should a fire start in their dorm or apartment, make sure they’re familiar with where the closest fire alarm is located. The quicker they pull the alarm, the better.
  3. Don’t tamper with smoke detectors. Working smoke detectors are key in alerting of a fire and starting the evacuation process. If they disable a smoke alarm due to a problem, they should contact their college’s safety or maintenance department promptly.
  4. Don’t block fire exit doors. In many college dorms and apartments space is limited. They should never block entrances/exits with bikes, boxes, or furniture. In an emergency, they won’t have much time to move items.
  5. Report damaged fire equipment to the appropriate staff. Fire equipment may be damaged accidentally or by vandalism. If your students see damaged equipment, make sure they report it to the resident hall staff or the safety department.
  6. Be familiar with how to use a fire extinguisher. While a student’s priority should be to evacuate the building, there may be a time when a fire extinguisher could be helpful. Trying to read the instructions during a fire isn’t a good idea.
  7. Don’t be a practical joker. While pulling a fire alarm as a joke, may seem harmless, it can have serious consequences. When a real fire starts, students may not take it seriously.