Bismarck Fire Department urges students to be mindful of fire safety.
With the college fall semester now in session, the Bismarck Fire Department and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reminds students to be mindful of fire safety. September and October are peak months for fires in college housing, according to NFPA research, and the Center for Campus Safety has marked September as Campus Fire Safety Month.
"As college students settle into dorms and off-campus apartments, it’s important they review fire safety tips to learn how to prevent fires, check smoke alarms and prepare escape plans,” said Luke Teagle, Fire Captain with Bismarck Fire Department.
NFPA’s report, “Structure Fires in Dormitories, Fraternities, Sororities and Barracks” notes that U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 3,810 structure fires in college housing between 2007 and 2011. Roughly 70 percent of fires began in the kitchen or cooking area, and cooking equipment caused about three-quarters of these fires. The report also states that fires are most common in the evening hours between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m., and on weekends.
During that same time period, the Bismarck Fire Department responded to over 30 fire alarm calls to local college campuses of which almost one third were cooking related. "Most cooking fires happen when a hot stove or microwave is left unattended. By staying in the kitchen and being alert while preparing meals or snacks, students can reduce their risk of starting a fire," added Teagle. “What’s vital to reducing injury or loss of life is to be sure that smoke alarms are working and that you have an emergency escape plan and practice it.”
Additional fire safety tips for college students living in on- or off-campus housing:
• When choosing a dorm or off-campus housing look for one that is “sprinklered.”
• 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, and never remove batteries or disable smoke alarms.
• Cook only where it is permitted. Do not leave it unattended!
• Learn your building’s evacuation plan and practice all drills as if they were the real thing. If you live off campus, have a fire escape plan with two ways out of every room.
• When you hear the fire alarm sound, GET OUT. Never assume that it is a false alarm.
For more information on these and other fire safety tips, visit the Bismarck Fire Department website at www.bismarcknd.gov/fire, NFPA at www.nfpa.org, or call the Bismarck Fire Department at 355-1400.