Lipscomb Security and Safety

Fire Safety

Each year 4,500 Americans die and more then 30,000 are injured in fires, many of which could be prevented.

QuickStats

The Overall Fire Picture - 2006

There were 3,245 civilians that lost their lives as the result of fire.
There were 16,400 civilian injuries that occurred as the result of fire.
There were 106 firefighters killed while on duty.
Fire killed more Americans than all natural disasters combined.
81 percent of all civilian fire deaths occurred in residences.
1.6 million fires were reported. Many others went unreported, causing additional injuries and property loss.
Direct property loss due to fires was estimated at $11.3 billion.
An estimated 31,000 intentionally set structure fires resulted in 305 civilian deaths.
Intentionally set structure fires resulted in an estimated $755 million in property damage.

Source: National Fire Protection Association Fire Loss in the U.S. During 2006 and USFA's Firefighter Fatalities in the United States in 2006.

Fires on College Campuses:

In cases where fire fatalities occurred on college campuses, alcohol was a factor. There is a strong link between alcohol and fire deaths. In more than 50% of adult fire fatalities, victims were under the influence at the time of the fire. Alcohol abuse often impairs judgment and hampers evacuation efforts. Cooking is the leading cause of fire injuries on college campuses, closely followed by careless smoking and arson.

General Fire Information:
Do you know what to do if there is a fire in your dorm?

If the smoke alarm sounds and you see smoke, gently drop to your knees.
Call "FIRE" to alert everyone. Assist anyone who cannot exit on their own.
Crawl along the floor. The most breathable air will be between 12 to 24 inches from the floor. Exit quickly.
Activate building Fire Alarm, if possible.
Check a door carefully before opening. Reach up as high as possible and place the back of your hand over the space between the door and it's frame, then touch the handle. If there is no sign of heat and no smoke around the door, open it carefully. If the door is hot or there is smoke around it, leave it closed and use the second exit. Before opening a window make sure the door to the room is closed.
Close the doors you pass as you follow you exit plan, if possible. This can help slow down the fire
Go to your planned meeting place as quickly as you can and check in with your RA. NEVER go back into a burning building.
Call Lipscomb Security and Safety (x7600) from another dorm or an emergency phone. Meet the officers when they arrive. Tell them if anyone is still inside the dorm and where they may be found, and how and where the fire started.

The most important aspect is to review the Fire Evacuation Plan for your dorm and make sure you are familiar with the plan. Determine the closest exit to your dorm room.

The Fire Triangle:
Four things must be present at the same time in order to produce fire:

Enough oxygen to sustain combustion
Enough heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature
Some sort of fuel or combustible material
The chemical, exothermic reaction that is fire

Oxygen, heat, and fuel are frequently referred to as the "fire triangle." Add in the fourth element, the chemical reaction, and you actually have a fire "tetrahedron." The important thing to remember is: take any of these four things away, and you will not have a fire or the fire will be extinguished.

Essentially, fire extinguishers put out fire by taking away one or more elements of the fire triangle/tetrahedron.

Fire safety, at its most basic level, is based upon the principle of keeping fuel sources and ignition sources separate.

If you would like more information about fire safety and prevention, please contact the Lipscomb Security and Safety office at (615) 966-7600