Fire Safety for College Students College Fire Safety University Fire Safety Off Campus Housing Fire Safety from the Alfred Station Volunteer Fire Company ~ Alfred Station, New York

Between January 2000 and April 26, 2006 the Center has identified 87 campus-related fire fatalities that included students, parents and children. Nationally, some 80% of students live off-campus and cook for themselves. As of July of 2006 - 30 States (Including New York State) have proclaimed September as Campus Fire Safety Month.

In the September 2006 Issue of Firehouse Magazine, Hal Bruno¹ wrote an article about campus fire safety. Click here for the entire article (This Article is Reprinted by Permission of FireHouse Magazine Editor 10-04-06): Legislative Safeguards Needed To Protect College Students from Fire

Your friends and neighbors at the Alfred Station Fire Company want to take this opportunity to remind you that

“Fire Prevention Is Our Strongest Fire Fighting Tool”

This year’s National Fire Prevention Week theme is “Practice Your Escape Plan.” No one expects to encounter fire, but it is always possible. To ensure that people escape from a fire they should have a plan and practice it.

The more practice, the better.

The Alfred Station Fire Company is very concerned about Campus Fire Safety. We are dedicated to reducing the loss of life from dormitory fires and off-campus student housing fires through fire prevention training and awareness.

Our college community needs to be mindful of fire prevention and safety. Whether students are living on-campus or off, it is important that each and every one of our students takes an active role in fire prevention and safety.

The following fire safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association about fire preparedness for college students, whether living in residence halls, fraternity or sorority houses or off-campus apartments and homes:

Learn and practice your buildings' evacuation plans and participate in fire drills.
If you hear the fire alarm, leave your building immediately and close doors behind you as you go. You also should take along your room keys in case you can't get out of the building.
Learn the location of all building exits and keep a flashlight handy.
If you have a disability, make sure you are included in the escape planning. Alert others to the type of assistance you may need to leave a burning building.
Make sure your room and your building has working smoke alarms and that they are regularly tested.
If you have to escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your exit.
Before opening a door, feel it first. If it is hot, use a second way out.
Always use the stairs, never the elevator during a fire.
If you're trapped, call 911 and tell them where you are. Seal your door with rags and signal from your windows. Open windows slightly at the top and bottom, but close them if smoke rushes in from any direction.
Never leave cooking food unattended. A serious fire can start in just seconds.
Keep towels, paper towels, pot holders and curtains away from open flames.
Alcohol can be a determining factor - Drink Responsibly.

If a fire should occur –

GET OUT OF THE HOME AND STAY OUT OF THE HOME!

DIAL 911 FROM A SAFE PLACE SUCH AS A NEIGHBOR’S HOME!

AND NEVER GO BACK INTO THE HOUSE!

Don't be a statistic!

"Practice Your Escape Plan!"

Click the following link to download our Free Home Fire Escape Plan and Diagram

We Care About You

We’re Your Neighbors

We Live Together

We Need To Work Together

To Prevent Fires In Our Community

¹ HAL BRUNO, a Firehouse® contributing editor, retired as political director for ABC News in Washington and served almost 40 years as a volunteer firefighter. He is a director of the Chevy Chase, MD, Fire Department and
chairman of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

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