College Campus Fire Safety Guidelines for College Students

College not only provides students with higher education, but it also teaches them personal responsibility. An important responsibility they learn is how to stay safe and prevent dangers, including fires. Below are fire safety tips every college student should follow while on campus.

Campus fire safety tips

• Fire Sprinklers — Choosing dorm or off-campus housing with a fire sprinkler system is safest. Fire sprinklers provide the best protection against a fire. These devices cut the number of fire-related fatalities by 80% and reduce the average property loss per fire by 70%.
• Building Alarm System — Those who live in a dorm room should make sure they can hear the building alarm system from their room.
• Smoke Alarms — The dorm room must have a smoke alarm. The dormitory suite should also have a smoke alarm installed in each living area. Additionally, all smoke alarms in the dormitory suite should be interconnected so that when one sounds, they all do. The same rules apply in an apartment or house.
• Testing Smoke Alarms — Smoke alarms should be tested once a month to ensure they are working properly. Disabling the alarm or removing the batteries must be avoided.
• Evacuation Plan — Students should learn their building’s evacuation plan. They should also always attend fire drills and practice them as if the fire were real. A fire escape plan must include two ways out of every room.
• If the Smoke Alarm Sounds — When hearing a smoke alarm, the building should be evacuated immediately. Nobody should go back inside until authorities say it’s safe.
• Cooking — Cooking equipment causes the most fires in dormitories. Thus, students should exercise caution when cooking by always supervising the oven or stovetop.
• Barbeques — Using barbeque grills and fire pits without care can result in severe fires. The local fire department should be consulted before using those items as some restrictions may apply.
• Smoking — Those who smoke should never smoke inside the dormitory or off-campus housing. The safest way to smoke is outside using deep and sturdy ashtrays.
• Candles — These must be used only with permission from the school. Most colleges and universities won’t allow them in dorms as candles are a leading cause of campus fires. Those who use candles should put them away from flammable items and never leave them unattended. Tip: it’s much safer to use flameless candles instead of real ones.

For more fire safety tips, check out our fireworks safety rules, how to prevent accidents around campfires, and bedroom safety tips. The PuroClean team stands ready to provide professional restoration services to any property affected by fire, water or mould damage.