Lyla Cody, Podcast, Video Editor
The smoke is banking, reaching temperatures above 200 degrees Fahrenheit and burning everything it touches. What do you do? Better yet, what could you have done to avoid this?
Fire safety at college is an important topic that not many students pay attention to or prioritize. Fire Marshall Paul Payne, who has been speaking about college fire safety for many years, offers helpful information to help students stay safe.
Dorm Life
When it comes to dining, it is recommended to use a cafeteria meal plan, as most cooking supplies, like air fryers, are neither safe for college dorms nor allowed. In fact, cooking is the most common cause of dormitory fires. “Food that you have to prepare that needs to be cooked. Unless you are living off campus in a place that has a kitchen, cooking is really not preferred in your college dorms,” Mr. Payne said.
A highlight of dorm life for many is decorating. While it is fun to make your room as cozy as possible, it is important to make sure everything is safe and not a major fire hazard. “We don’t like the string lights. Typically, they get strung across the room, and then things get hung from that. They tend to be plugged in all the time, even when people aren’t there,” he said.
Another dorm no is candles. Candles are among the top causes of fires in dorms, along with cooking and smoking. While college dorms are required to have heating systems, during some winters, you might need an extra source of heat, like space heaters. While newer space heaters have built-in safety features, it is still important to be cautious. “If you knock an old space heater over, it won’t turn off. So, they should be monitored; turn them off when you leave, and no combustibles within three feet of them,” he said.
In a dorm room, there is a limited number of outlets that you have to share with roommates. Therefore, many people turn to power strips to use the outlets to their maximum capacity. When picking a power strip, it is important to consider the different types and their uses. “The plastic power strips that you see you want to look at the back and make sure you see the UL on it. Underwriter’s laboratory. That is a listed, labeled device that has been tested for a certain use,” he said.
There are two types of power strips: surge protectors and standard power strips. “This is called the Surge Protector, which means it’s gonna protect your equipment. If there is too much energy, too much electricity coming this way, it’s gonna trip and not let that overcurrent burn up your equipment,” Mr. Payne said.
If planning to use a power strip solely for electronic devices, a surge protector is the better option for you. In case of too many devices or a lightning strike, this type of power strip will keep your devices safe. However, if used for hair dryers, heaters, and other electronics, it may not be the best option. “This does not have overcurrent protection, so if you draw too much electricity, it’s not gonna trip. It’s gonna get hot, it’s gonna catch on fire and burn up,” he said.
Another option is the standard power strip. “This one is not a surge protector, so it’s not gonna protect your computer equipment, but it has overcurrent protection. This has a circuit breaker in it. So if you were to plug that space heater into this, and it was too much power, it would trip,” he said. When a power strip trips, it shuts down. Tripping is a result of overloading, and a safety feature to prevent it from catching fire or damaging the things you have plugged into it. If using a hair dryer and other things, this is a better option and is more recommended.
Emergency Exits
As a freshman, the campus is a new place that can be challenging to navigate. Whether in a residence hall or an academic building, it is important to identify the exits in case of an emergency. Mr. Payne recommends that you always know two ways out of the room, whether a window or a door, as long as they lead you outside the building and away from the fire. It is also important to ensure nothing blocks these exits so you can get out quickly in an emergency. “If something bad happens, it’s going to happen in the middle of the night, the power is going to go out, and the house will start filling with smoke. You want to be intimately familiar with your room.” Mr. Payne said.
Fire Safety Items
While dormitory buildings will have smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, individual dorm rooms may not. “We’re looking for a smoke detector in every bedroom. A smoke detector in the hallway, outside of the bedrooms, and one on every level. This includes the basement and attic,” he said. “Then a carbon monoxide detector, one on every level.”
Fire extinguishers and fire blankets can be helpful, but it is important to know when to use them and when to get out of the house and dial 911. These tools are most valuable when you catch the fire early. “If the fire is what we call incipient, so it’s just starting, the only thing burning is that thing that started that fire. If you can get it, then yes, but once the microwave sets on fire, or the fire gets out of the microwave and starts in the kitchen cabinets on fire, then don’t.”
The majority of people that try to combat a spreading fire with a fire extinguisher can end up putting their lives at risk because the 30 seconds of the extinguishing agent are not enough to extinguish a large fire. “If you’re going to use a fire extinguisher, what I suggest is to mount it by the exit door,” he said. “If you have a fire, run over to the front door, and decide if you can do the right thing and just go out the front door or go back into the fire and try to put it out.”
Overall, fire safety is an important topic for everyone, especially students starting at a new school, to learn about and understand. “Really, just be aware. Participate in fire drills.” Mr. Payne said.
