The United States Fire Administration of the Federal Emergency Management Agency recognizes that one of the issues faced by students on America’s college and university campuses is that of fire and life safety. There have been a series of fires that have claimed the lives of students in both on and off campus housing throughout the United States. Most of these fires could have been prevented. Even if a fire were not prevented, students who have been properly trained to evacuate the building would be better able to save their own lives.
Smoke from building fires contains dangerous gases that can be fatal. Therefore, it is necessary to know steps to insure your safety. Smoke alarms with WORKING BATTERIES can assist in alerting occupants of eminent danger. Whether by alarm or other means, if you believe there is a fire and you are behind a closed door, feel the doorknob before opening it to exit your residence. If the handle is hot, you can assume the fire is close to the door. If the door handle is not hot, open the door slowly and check the immediate area. Smoke rises, so to avoid being over come by the smoke, crawl quickly to the nearest exit. It only takes three minutes for a fire to become out of control, and it will double in intensity within thirty seconds. Therefore, do not stop to use the telephone to call for help. GET OUT! After you are safely out of the area, you can use a telephone to call 911.
Everyone must take responsibility for prevention. Pay close attention to your surroundings. You can prevent fires from starting by taking simple precautions. Here is a list to increase your awareness.
Open the original version of this page.
Usablenet Assistive is a UsableNet product. Usablenet Assistive Main Page.