UW housing leaders promote fire prevention

As students return to campus this week, University Housing officials are emphasizing the need for fire prevention.

The effort follows in the wake of two fires — one in a residence hall and another in a university-owned apartment — that each caused thousands of dollars in damage last semester.

Causes for campus fires vary, but most are due to a general lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention, says Jan Sternbach, manager, University Apartments Community Services.

Cooking is the leading cause of fire injuries on college campuses across the country, closely followed by careless smoking, according to the United States Fire Administration, a non-profit agency that promotes fire prevention. Smoking will be banned in all UW–Madison residence halls, including student rooms, beginning with the 1999-2000 academic year, and a number of apartment buildings also have been declared smoke-free.

The university has installed smoke alarms in every residence hall room and apartment, and regular inspections are conducted to keep campus housing free of fire hazards.

But day to day, fire prevention is largely up to residents, Sternbach emphasizes. Heeding the following common-sense tips, compiled by university officials, can go a long way toward helping prevent fires in university housing:

• For apartment residents, do not leave cooking food unattended, even for a few minutes. (Residence hall residents are not allowed to keep cooking appliances such as hot plates in their rooms.)
• For apartment residents, do not leave candles unattended. (Again, residence hall residents are not allowed to use candles in their rooms.)
• Be careful not to overload electrical circuits. It’s easy to make this mistake using extension cords or power strips with multiple receptacles.
• Maintain smoke alarms. Do not disable the alarms by removing batteries or damaging the alarm. Early detection of a fire can minimize the threat to property and life.
• Regularly inspect rooms for fire hazards, then take steps to eliminate any problems.

Kevin Helmkamp, assistant residence life director – southeast area, also urges residents simply to be aware that fire is a risk or threat in residence halls and apartments. He urges residents to take all alarms seriously: Leave the building if an alarm sounds. If a residence hall hallway is filled with smoke, residents should stay in their rooms and dial 911 to give their location to emergency personnel.

University apartment residents should call 911 anytime they hear a fire alarm to ensure quick response from firefighters, then evacuate, Sternbach adds. In addition, university housing officials urge campus apartment dwellers in particular to carry renters’ insurance to protect them against loss of property caused by fire.

About 6,800 students live in campus residence halls. About 4,000 students and family members live in university-owned campus apartments.