Campus Fire Safety Training Set for Today
ASSE is joining the West Virginia University Health and Safety staff, the Morgantown fire department, and the WVU Residents' Assistants Fire Academy for training and demonstrations.
The American Society of Safety Engineers announced that its Fire Prevention Practice Specialty will release campus-related fire prevention tips today during an event at West Virginia University's Fieldcrest Hall in Morgantown, W.Va. The tips will help fraternity and sorority members, parents, campus fire and security officials, and administrators with fire safety and emergency planning.
ASSE is joining the West Virginia University Environmental Health and Safety staff, the Morgantown fire department, and the WVU Residents' Assistants Fire Academy for the fire prevention training and demonstrations taking place from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Hands-on demonstrations will be presented explaining how to escape smoke-filled rooms and hallways; fire extinguisher training, a live burn of a room to show how quickly fire can spread, working with the fire hose, and films will be presented. The location is 752 Van Voorhis Road on the WVU Evansdale Campus; a map is available at this website.
The U.S. Fire Administration has issued a new report focusing on the causes and characteristics of fires in college and university residential buildings. The "University Housing Fires (2007-2009)" report was developed by the National Fire Data Center and is part of USFA's Topical Fire Report Seriesl; it says an estimated average of 3,800 university housing fires occur each year, causing 25 injuries and $9 million in property losses annually.
The 2011-2012 college year is about to begin at many schools, and ASSE wants students and others to know that preventable campus fires claim lives in the United States every year. It cites NFPA statistics that, from 2000 to the present, 146 students died in off-campus, residence hall, or fraternity/sorority fires, with most campus-related fatal fires occurring in off-campus housing.
For more information about the Morgantown event, contact WVU Director of Environmental Health & Safety and ASSE member John A. Principe III, CSP, CHCM, at 304-293-5853 and visit www.asse.org/newsroom for the Campus-Related Fire Prevention tips and fact sheets.