fire

Public Law 110-315 states that all Title IV eligible institutions participating in any Title IV program and that maintain on-campus student housing facilities must publish an Annual Fire Safety Report, maintain a fire log, and report fire statistics to the Secretary of Educa- tion. A printed copy can be obtained by contacting EH&S at (510) 642-5995 or can be downloaded at http://ehs.berkeley.edu/fp/328-fire-safety-reports.html

Links to Fire Safety Pages for Your Campus Residence

Take some time to go over the fire and life safety rules and guidelines for these kinds of residences at the following links:

Off-Campus

• http://ehs.berkeley.edu/fp/352-off-campus-housing-fire-prevention-and-life-safety.html

Residential Student Services Program (RSSP)

• http://www.housing.berkeley.edu/student/Bear_Necessities_Guide.pdf

Many fires start after a house party. If your house or dwelling unit hosts a party, take care to reduce the likelihood of a fire by following these guidelines:

• Assign one or two persons to monitor the event for safety. These monitors should stay sober during the event and be familiar with the building.
• Limit the number of guests, as overcrowding increases risk. A permit for your event is required from the Berkeley Fire Department if the occupant load exceeds 150.

Cooking is the leading cause of fire injuries on college campuses, followed by careless smoking and arson. Always use caution when around fire (including candles, grills, fireworks, or burning embers) and dispose of fire properly.

• Never leave cooking unattended.

• Never smoke in bed.

• Report all arson threats to
  the police.

Alcohol is implicated as a factor in about 50% of all fire fatalities. The number of fires in off-campus housing have overshadowed the number of all other campus-related fires in the United States.

Messy buildings are likely to have multiple fire hazards, so work with your neighbors to keep things in clean and orderly condition.

• Extension cords are fire hazards and should only be used temporarily. Use a power strip with circuit breaker protection if you must plug many devices into one outlet.

Follow these guidelines for how to live safely in your residence, whether it is privately owned, operated by the campus’ Residential Student Services Program (RSSP), or by any campus affiliate. If you live in an off-campus privately owned rental unit or apartment, do not assume your safety is anyone else’s chief concern. It is up to you to know how to escape a fire successfully and evaluate your home for basic fire safety.

The buildings on the Berkeley campus are for appropriate use and enjoyment by students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The following policies have been established to promote the safety and security of all occupants and visitors:

• Follow all posted building rules restricting use or access.
• Duplicating or distributing keys or card keys without authorization is a violation of the Campus Access Control Policy, and is punishable under section 469 of the California Penal Code.

California state laws prohibit the tampering with any fire protection devices, such as:

• smoke detectors,
• heat detectors,
• manual pull stations,
• fire alarm horns and strobes,
• fire sprinklers,
• portable fire extinguishers,
• fire hoses
  and any other components of a fire protection system.

Violators can be fined and jailed as per the California Penal Code, Section 148.4.

It is important to have more than one exit from the building. Map out a second exit from the building that can be used in case the main door is made impassible. Check all of the doors which lead to outside the building to make sure that they each open fully and there is a clear path to the street.

• Hallways and stairways should be cleared of any material (bikes, mopeds, flower planters, etc.) that might cause obstructions to evacuation. Hallways and stairways are not the place for storage, not even temporarily.

In California, state laws require smoke detectors/smoke alarms in all dormitory rooms, apartments and dwelling units that are used for sleeping. A smoke detector’s alarm must be audible in the sleeping areas, so detectors should be mounted in each bedroom as well as on the ceilings or walls at points centrally located between the sleeping areas and the rest of the dwelling unit.

Check, Inspect and Maintain Your Smoke Detectors/Smoke Alarms

Smoke detectors, smoke alarms and fire alarm systems must also be inspected, tested, and maintained regularly per state regulations.

Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility and your preparation, awareness, and response to fire can save lives and valuable property. If you attend classes or work on campus, you must follow all fire safety regulations as set by the State, as well as all Campus fire safety rules.

The University of California, Berkeley has a plan for communicating with the campus population that will be activated during an emergency. Its Alerting & Warning System (AWS) is a network of sirens and communications outlets that will allow the campus community to find out what to do in the case of a major emergency or disaster.

WarnMe

Read this section for an overview on ways to Prepare, Protect & Respond to an emergency, such as an earthquake or active shooter incident. For extensive information on emergency preparedness, go to the campus’ Office of Emergency Management website.