Fire Safety Tips for Residential Students

You play an important role in maintaining the safety of our shared spaces. The below provides a critical review of fire safety tips to help keep our community safe:

1. Treat every fire drill as the real thing. Evacuation plans are posted on your building’s webpage. Fire drills are held in each residence hall four times a year. Remember to exit the building quickly; using the stairs and remain calm.
2. When cooking, stay in the kitchen and be alert. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than 80% of university housing fires are started in the kitchen. If you must leave the kitchen, turn off the stove and/or oven.
3. Don’t use items with an open flame (such as a candle) or devices that contain an open heating element (such as hot plates, wax burners, electric kettles, space heaters, or pot-style coffee machines). These items can quickly become dangerous and are prohibited for a reason.
4. Use power strips, not extension cords. Overloaded power strips, extension cords, and sockets can cause the circuit to heat up and may result in a fire.
5. Don’t decorate with fabrics (such as tapestries or curtains) and do not hang decorations from fire safety equipment. Tampering with fire apparatus may result in malfunctioning equipment and could jeopardize your safety.
6. Don't remove smoke detectors and other equipment.

More Fire Safety Tips

Watch our video for more detailed information about fire prevention and what to do in the event of a fire emergency.

In case of emergency, remember these helpful acronyms:

• During a fire, remember RACE: Rescue, Alert, Confine, and Escape
  • “Confine” means help contain the fire as much as possible: shut doors behind you as you leave. A door left open at the fire’s source can accelerate the spread of the fire.
• To use a fire extinguisher correctly, remember PASS: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep

Upcoming: Health & Safety Inspections

Later this month, Columbia Housing, Residential Life, and Fire Safety staff will be conducting Health and safety Inspections. During Health and Safety Inspections, University staff enter your assigned living space to visually inspect for health and safety concerns, including fire hazards. If you have any prohibited items in your space, please remove them immediately. 

More information about Health & Safety Inspections, including how to prepare and the inspection schedule, will be shared soon.