Fire Safety

Basic Principles

• Know your emergency exits.
• Know where the extinguishers are in your residence hall and how to use them. Never play with extinguishers or tamper with the fire alarm system.
• A false alarm is dangerous, a felony, and may result in a referral to the Student Conduct Process.

If the Fire Alarm Sounds

1. The most important thing is getting out. Move quickly, but do not run. Do not stop to collect valuables. Use normal exits if you can, but under no circumstances should you use an elevator.
2. You must leave the building when a fire alarm sounds, even if you believe the alarm to be a false alarm. Do not reenter the building until given permission to do so by College officials.
3. Before opening a door, feel it near the top for heat. If it is cool, open it slowly. If smoke is present, close the door and use another route. Always close doors behind you to limit the spread of fire and smoke.
4. If you must go through heat or heavy smoke, remember that they rise. Crawl, keeping your face very close to the floor. This applies even when opening doors; stay low and reach up to turn the knob.
5. Once you’re out, move well away from the building, and if a meeting place has been arranged, go there. Do not leave the scene, or you may be believed trapped in the building. Don’t reenter the building under any circumstances unless you are officially told it is safe.
6. If you are trapped, stuff a sheet under the door to keep out smoke. Open a window slightly at the top and bottom to let air in, and yell for help. If there is a phone nearby, call Campus Safety (0911) and report your location. Jumping out of a window is an extreme and hazardous measure, to be considered only when you are in immediate danger.

Residence Hall Fire Safety

Fire Alarm and Evacuation Instructions

• If you discover a fire or smoke situation, activate the fire alarm pull station and call, or have someone call, Campus Safety at x0911 or x1234.
• If you feel comfortable doing so, use a fire extinguisher to control or extinguish the fire while emergency personnel are in route to your location.

When The Fire Alarm Sounds

1. Close all windows but leave curtains and drapes open.
2. Leave the overhead lights on.
3. Before opening any door, feel the door. If it is hot, do not open it. If it is not hot open the door slightly. If you encounter heat or heavy smoke close the door and stay in the room.
4. If you cannot leave the room, Open the window slightly and hang a sheet or other light colored cloth out the window to attract the attention of emergency personnel. If there is a phone in the room, call Campus Safety (1234) or the STU's Dept. of Public Safety (911) and report that you are trapped. Remain calm and give your room number and building location. Stuff towels, sheets or other similar materials under all doors leading into corridors. Stay close to the floor if smoke enters the room.
5. If conditions allow you to leave the room, close, but do not lock the door and walk directly to the nearest exit and leave the building.
6. If you are away from your room when the alarm sounds, do not return to your room, but leave the building via the nearest exit.
7. DO NOT use elevators. If hallway and/or exit stairwells are not accessible because of heavy smoke, return to your room, close the door and follow the instructions given above.
8. If you have exited the facility, stand clear of the building. Emergency apparatus may be maneuvering around the building.
9. Follow directions of the fire and police personnel and never re-enter the building until they give permissions to do so.

Building Safety Features

Fire Doors

Stairwell fire doors should be kept closed at all times. During a fire the stairwells will provide a place of refuge and will protect you during your escape from the building. If the fire doors are left open, the stairwells will act as chimneys, rapidly spreading the fire and smoke throughout the building.

Exits

Each exit or exit access should be kept clearly marked with a lighted or fluorescent exit sign. You should familiarize yourself with all exit routes in your facility when you move in.

Fire Alarms

Fire alarm systems provide a rapid means of notifying all occupants of an emergency. Continued abuse of these systems creates a complacent attitude among the building residents which may result in injury or death when the alarm is ignored in an actual emergency situation. Fire alarm systems such as pull boxes and smoke alarms may not be tampered with or altered for any reason.

Fire Extinguishers

Multi-purpose ABC fire extinguishers are located throughout all the college buildings and residential halls for use by the occupants on most types of small fires.

When using a fire extinguisher use the P.A.S.S. method:

P – Pull the pin.
A – Aim.
S – Squeeze the trigger.
S – Sweep the fire.

Potential Hazards

Appliances

Sun Lamps, Halogen Lamps, Hot Plates, Toaster Ovens, Electric Skillets, Rice Steamers, Woks, Indoor or Outside Grills, Space Heaters and other high-powered electrical appliances are prohibited in dorm rooms. Items such as irons and hair dryers should be unplugged after use and not stored until they are cool enough to touch. Too many appliances plugged into the same outlet or extension cord may cause an overloading of the circuit resulting in loss of power or possible fire.

Obstacles

Bicycles, chairs, desks, trunks, etc. should not be stored in hallways, stairwells, or any place which would interfere with public access or exit areas of the building. These items left unattended in such areas are in violation of fire safety codes and will be removed by authorized personnel.

Open Flames

Open flames, candles, incense, charcoal grills, etc. are not permitted in any resident hall.

Flammable Liquids and Gasses

Gasoline, paint, ether, propane or any other flammable liquids or gasses are not allowed in any of the residential halls for any reason.

Fireworks

Fireworks, gunpowder or any other explosives are not allowed on campus under State Fire Codes and may not be stored on campus for any reason.

Elevators Are Hazardous to Use in Fires

Elevators should not be used during an actual emergency. The elevator shaft could act as a chimney in transmitting heat and smoke from floor to floor. Also elevators may malfunction and stop at the floor involved in the fire, opening automatically, and exposing the passengers to heat and smoke.

Party Decorations

The use of crepe paper, cloth, corn stalks, and bales of hay or other combustible materials for party decorations is strictly prohibited in residence halls.

General information

Reporting

All fire-related incidents regardless of the severity should be reported to Campus Safety immediately. Any unsafe condition such as electrical problems, broken glass, broken handrails, broken or loose tile, etc. should be reported to an Area Coordinator (AC), Community Assistant (CA) or facilities during the day and Campus Safety after hours.

False alarms

Turning in a false alarm, tampering with fire equipment or discharging fire extinguishers is a criminal offense punishable by up to a $500 fine and up to six months in jail. These actions may also lead to a suspension or expulsion from Southern Technical University as well as charges being accessed for any malicious damage.

Protect Yourself

Bring any deficiencies in fire protection and safety equipment to the attention of Campus Safety.