Fire Prevention

Environmental Health and Safety staff offers courses in fire safety and fire extinguisher use.

The fire safety class explains the physics and chemistry of fire; how fires start and continue to burn; solid, liquid and gas fuels; and how to keep one's residence and workplace fire safe. The fire extinguisher class explains the classic fire triangle or tetrahedron, common-sense responses to fire scenarios, the use and capabilities of the different kinds of extinguishers, and hands-on training on ABC and carbon dioxide extinguishers. The EH&S staff offers this training to any unit on campus.

The Environmental Health and Safety Department is responsible to annually inspect all physical facilities of the campus. The inspection is to ensure that the state-owned facilities are well taken care of, that university employees are able to work in healthful and fire-safe environments, and that emergency exit corridors are maintained free of obstacles. Administrators, faculty and staff are expected to keep their work areas neat, clean and free of fire hazards. This includes keeping offices, labs and other work areas free of clutter and unnecessary build-up of flammable and combustible materials.

Fire Essentials

All university employees should know:

• How to exit their work areas quickly and efficiently
• Where their department assembles for accountability if the building must be evacuated
• The locations of the nearest fire alarms
• How and under what conditions to use fire extinguishers in case of a fire.

In Case of a Fire

• Pull the nearest fire alarm.
• Call the university police (9-1-1 from any campus phone) to report the fire.
• Evacuate the building, closing doors as you leave. Do not use the elevator.
• Use a fire extinguisher or building fire hose if the fire is small and an exit remains readily available to you.
• If dense smoke is evident, crawl on the floor to exit. Avoid smoke inhalation if possible.
• Remain outside the building with your work group until officials authorize reentry.
• Note who is accounted for from your work group, and who is not accounted for.