In recent years there has been an increase in campus-related fire deaths across America. There were twenty campus-related fire deaths in the 2006 – 2007 academic year, making it the most fatal academic year on record. Governor Martin O’Malley has proclaimed September as Campus Fire Safety Month in order to bring attention to this vital prevention effort.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal is joining the Center for Fire Campus Safety and numerous other agencies in reaching out to administrators, students, and parents, with a message of fire safety. By focusing on fire safety awareness, education efforts, and prevention systems such as sprinklers, we can make a difference in campus fire safety both now and for the future. Educating students on how to prevent fires and what action to take once an incident occurs may help save additional lives.
Suggestions for students include:
– Follow dormitory rules regarding the possession and use of cooking appliances, candles, and smoking materials
– Do not leave cooking, candles, or other lighted material unattended
– Know and practice your fire escape plan
– Take every fire alarm seriously and evacuate the building
Parents and students can and should ask questions pertaining to fire safety while visiting college campuses. It is important to know that 80% of campus related fire deaths occur in off-campus housing.
The Center for Campus Fire Safety lists questions and issues that may be helpful when visiting a school or choosing housing. (www.campusfire.org)