Daily Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, IA
09-08-07
September to focus on campus fire safety
Nicole Weis, Staff Writer
In a college dorm room, a mini fridge, a microwave, a computer, a lamp and the
television are often plugged into one power strip.
Decorative, though illegal, candles are also placed in the residence halls by
students who choose to ignore the rules by justifying that candles are perfectly
safe.
When the fire alarm did go off, college students have failed to evacuate in the
past, reasoning that it is probably just another practical joke.
But for the 39 people who died and the nearly 400 who were injured throughout
the U.S. in campus housing fires in 2005, the power strip was overloaded, the
candle wasn't safe and the fire alarm wasn't a prank.
By declaring September "Campus Fire Safety Month," the Iowa Fire Marshal's
Association and faculty at all of Iowa's colleges and universities are hoping to
make student housing fire-free.
"Candles and incense are the biggest problem we see today," said Council Bluffs
Fire Marshal Jeff Hutcheson. "Those are what's causing fires because it's easy to
forget you lit the candle or the incense and fall asleep and leave those burning."
The most recent fire-related death on record involved an Iowa State University
student who was caught in a 2004 fire caused by a candle burning in the
basement of the duplex where he was sleeping.
According to the Fire Marshal's Association, most fire-related deaths and injuries
have occurred in sleeping areas. Other than candles, electrical appliances and
cooking equipment often are the sources of dorm fires. Hutcheson advises
keeping combustibles away from heat sources.
"They are not supposed to be cooking in their rooms," Hutcheson said. "They
need to use the lounge or the cafeteria."
Though there was an arson incident at Iowa Western Community College during
the 2000-01 school year, the college hasn't had any major incidents since. The
only issue has been compliance, and Hutcheson believes it has improved.
"In the past, we did have a lot of problems with kids not evacuating when we had
fire alarms," Hutcheson said. "But we went the extra mile, and before every
semester we worked with (resident advisers) and explained to them the
importance of following rules.
"Since we've gone the extra step, we have not had as many problems with kids
not evacuating or following the rules. It tells me the education efforts are
working."