SERVPRO: Fire safety tips that college campuses must follow to avoid fire damage

3/16/2022 (Permalink)

Blog summary: The SERVPRO blog gives insight into the preventative measures that campuses must adopt to prevent fires and the associated smoke damage. 

Fire damage restoration company gives fire safety tips for college campuses

Whether it is home or a college campus, students must be aware of the precautionary measures that must be taken to prevent fires. However, college campuses are different from homes, with their larger areas and unique protocols. Fires are not only life-threatening, but they also entail huge economic losses. One of the byproducts of fire damage is smoke damage that leaves a long-lasting impact on the affected property. SERVPRO, a fire damage restoration company, shares some statistics about campus fires across the United States as well as critical fire safety measures that the college staff and students must know and follow. 

Campus fires across the country

• 94 percent of fatal campus fires do not begin on campus.
• Smoking was the cause of 29 percent of the fatal campus fires.
• 76 percent of fatal campus fires were due to alcohol.
• Smoke alarms were absent or tampered with in 58 percent of the fatal campus fires that failed to alert authorities or the fire department. 
• There was no fire sprinkler installation in 85 fatal campus fires.
• 70 percent of fatal campus fires occurred on the weekend while 73 percent occurred between midnight and 6 am.
• April was the month when 13 percent of the fatal fires occurred in the campus housing.

The National Fire Protection Association or NFPA and its partners offer vast resources of fire safety information to educate staff, students, and parents. It is crucial to be aware of these facts and preventative measures to prevent fire and smoke damage as well as avoid the fire damage restoration costs. 

6 Fire Safety Tips to Prevent Fire Damage on College Campuses

1. Learn the evacuation routes: Students and staff must regularly participate in all fire drills and memorize the evacuation protocols and evacuation routes. Constant review of this information is necessary to ensure correct routes are followed if and when a fire does occur. 

2. Identify the nearest fire alarm: Students or staff must be aware of the location of the fire alarm to be able to alert the campus and the fire department at the earliest. In case the fire alarm is too far or can’t be located at the time of the fire, dorm authorities must be immediately informed.

3. Smoke detectors can save the day: Fires often go unnoticed until it's too late to control them or evacuate. With the help of a well-maintained smoke detector in every living room and dorm room, the campus residents and visitors can be alerted and evacuated in a timely and safe fashion. These smoke alarms must be constantly checked to ensure they have not been disabled by students. If the alarm has been disabled due to some problem, the college’s safety or maintenance department must be informed promptly.

4. Clear the fire exits: Dorms can be limited in space and therefore their entries, lobbies, and exits must always be clear of any hindrances as this can delay the evacuation and escape. 

5. Train to use a fire extinguisher: A fire extinguisher can be a lifesaver in situations where a fire blocks the exit. During an evacuation, students or staff can use the extinguisher to save their lives and those around them. Learning how to use fire extinguishers as a part of the fire safety training can be very helpful because during a fire emergency understanding instructions and implementing them correctly can be challenging. 

6. No pranks: Practical jokes that can endanger lives or property must be avoided. Fake alarms can lead to real fire events being taken lightly. This “cry wolf” scenario must be avoided at all costs. 

College campus authorities can get in touch with a fire damage contractor to help review and maintain their premises for fire safety or install the best fire safety equipment. Fire restoration companies such as SERVPRO  located in Keller offer fire restoration services that can help return the damaged property to its original glory.

Why SERVPRO?

Faster to Any Size Emergency

No matter where and how big the disaster is, SERVPRO offers fire damage restoration services across 1,700 US and Canadian franchise locations swiftly. The vast network of resources available to SERVPRO enables it to act immediately and efficiently. A 24X7 emergency response gives SERVPRO the ability to arrest any disaster quickly and save huge amounts of money, time, and energy. 

Advanced Technology 

SERVPRO is a fire damage restoration company that uses state-of-the-art equipment to bring the damaged property back to its original state. SERVPRO of Grapevine / NE Tarrant County is always updating its fleet and equipment so clients in Southlake, Grapevine, Keller, or anywhere else can quickly access the services. 

Certified Professionals

The SERVPRO staff is highly trained in the fire damage restoration process and other restoration services. They receive initial in-house training and constant skill up-gradation at the corporate training facility and also acquire the regular IICRC-industry certification.

For fire damage restoration services, contact Team Shaw of SERVPRO of Grapevine/NE Tarrant County at (817) 595-2506 or e-mail at office@SERVPROheb.com