On and Off Campus Fire Safety Tips
Kitchen Fire Safety
If a fire starts in your stove, toaster oven or microwave, keep the door closed and unplug the unit until the fire burns out. Do NOT use water on a grease fire – it only makes the fire worse and hot oil can splatter and burn you. If you’re sleepy or drowsy, don’t cook a meal that requires turning on appliances.
Get out of the building when a Fire Alarm goes off
Fire doubles in volume every 30-60 seconds. In just a couple of minutes, an entire room or multiple rooms can be engulfed in flames and smoke. When the fire alarm sounds, get out of the building - FAST and NEVER, no matter what, delay or go back inside the building to get your “things”. Ask yourself, is a cell phone or computer more important than your life? No way. You can always buy a new cell phone; but you can’t buy your life back.
Use Flameless Candles
Candles are one of the leading causes of fire in campus housing. Because of this, most colleges and universities won’t allow them in dorms. If you want to use candles off-campus try flameless candles. They’re cheap, scented and come in a million shapes and colors.
Don't cover Lamps with Scarves
Covering lamps with a scarf might look nice and create a great atmosphere in your room, but it’s also a huge fire problem. Keep all materials that can catch fire away from your lamps.
Turn off Appliances
When you leave a room or apartment, ALWAYS turn off the stove, iron, curling irons and other appliances. Leaving these things “on” causes the appliance to overheat and spark a fire. Taking a couple seconds to hit the “off” switch will help keep your apartment and dorm room free of fire, and save your life and the life of your friends.