prevention

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.

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.

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.