September is Campus Fire Safety month. Did you know that in 2003-2006, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 3,570 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, and sororities that resulted in 7 civilian deaths and 54 civilian fire injuries.

For many students, college will be their first time living away from home, as they make new friends and establish new routines. A number of factors including candle use, cooking, smoking, and misuse of electrical appliances can heighten the risk of fire in any campus environment. College students living away from home should take a few minutes to make sure they are living in a fire-safe environment by following these safety tips:

• Look for housing equipped with an automatic fire sprinkler system when choosing a dorm or off-campus housing.
• Make sure your dormitory or apartment has smoke alarms inside each bedroom, outside every sleeping area and on each level. For the best protection, all smoke alarms should be interconnected so that when one sounds they all sound.
• Test all smoke alarms at least monthly.
• Never remove batteries or disable the alarm.
• Learn the building’s evacuation plan and practice all drills as if they were the real thing.
• If living off campus, have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.
• During a power outage, use a flashlight not candles.
• Burn candles only if the school permits their use. A candle is an open flame and should be placed away from anything that can burn. Never leave a candle unattended. Blow it out when leaving the room or going to sleep.
• Cook only where it’s permitted.
• Stay in the kitchen when cooking. Up to 75% of all structure fires involved cooking equipment.
• Cook only when you are alert, not sleepy or drowsy from medicine or alcohol.
• If you smoke, smoke outside and only where it’s permitted. Don’t smoke in bed or when you’ve been drinking or are drowsy.
• Check the school’s rules before using any electrical appliances.
• Use a surge protector for the computer and plug the protector directly into an outlet.

Article Credits: Fire Marshal Alan Perkins, CFPS, is a 32-year veteran of the fire service. A Certified Fire Protection Specialist through the National Fire Protection Association and a member of several similar safety organizations. Perkins is the Fire Marshal for the Washington Township Fire Department, Dublin, Ohio. For more information, contact: Leslie Dybiec, Public Information Officer Phone: (614) 652-3928 Fax: (614) 766-2507 or ldybiec@wtwp.com

Live Safe Foundation is an Ohio based non-profit organization (501c3), and leading grassroots movement, devoted to making and fire and life safety education, awareness initiatives and life saving tools available on a broad basis to communities, campuses, and institutions in an effort to reduce national fire fatalities and fire losses. Live Safe aims to help finance fire safety education where means are otherwise unavailable. Live Safe is developing and sponsoring programs to help groups find the resources needed to advance individual and community fire safety.