Fire and Safety Information

Residence Hall Safety Violation	Fine
Candles and/or Incense	$50.00 ea
Failure to evacuate during drills	$50.00
False fire alarm	$250.00
Fire alarm due to negligence	$250.00
Halogen lamp	$25.00
Misuse of safety equipment	$250.00
Propping door	$250.00
Tampering with fire extinguisher	$250.00
Recharge fire extinguisher	$50.00
False discharge of fire extinguisher	$250.00
Smoke detector unplugged / missing battery	$250.00
Smoking outside of designated areas	$100.00
Space heater	$25.00

Residence Life Policies

Candles and Incense
Candles, wax sculptures, potpourri pots, paraffin baths, incense, and any open flame are prohibited in residence halls for fire safety reasons. Candles should not be used during power outages or in holiday season decorations such as jack-o-lanterns, Christmas wreaths or menorahs. Possession of candles, incense or any item mentioned above will result in a fine of $50 for each candle or item (capped at $250). The student must remove the item from the building immediately. For any subsequent violation, the fine will be $250.

Doors
Propping of exterior doors, as well as interior stairwell doors, laundry doors, etc. is prohibited for safety reasons. Residents who prop any door will be fined $250 and may be subject to disciplinary action. This includes doors being held open by residents that are standing in the doorway. Do not hold doors open with your hand, arm, or leg for any reason. If you are caught propping the door with your body or an object (including any foreign objects impeding the crash bar), you will be fined $250. The rationale from this policy stems from security issues, air conditioning issues, and consistent enforcement of policies. If your building has card access security, an alarm will sound if the doors are propped.

Electrical Power Strips
All power strips should be UL approved and have a grounded plug. It is recommended that students purchase power strips with circuit breakers for additional safety.

Extension Cords
Use of extension cords should be kept to a minimum. Never should one extension cord be plugged into another extension cord. Extension cords should not cross under carpeting, nor should electrical outlets be overloaded. Extension cords should not be run across walkways into bathroom and entrance doors. All extension cords should be UL approved and have a grounded plug.

False Fire Alarm (Prank)
False fire alarms will result in a minimum damage charge of $250. If this damage charge cannot be assessed to the guilty person(s), it will be added to the vandalism charge for the residence hall and could be part of the group bill for damages. Also, any person found to be responsible for activating a false fire alarm will be assessed a $250 fine and referred to the Dean of Students' Office for additional disciplinary action.

Fire Doors
Fire doors are intended to limit the spread of fire and smoke from one area to another. Propping these doors open adds to potential fire damage. Individuals responsible for propping fire doors shall be subject to disciplinary action.

Fire Drills
Fire drills are conducted to educate residents with the sound of the fire alarm or air horns, the emergency exits that are available and the procedure for evacuating the building. During a fire drill, every room will be checked by a resident advisor to ascertain that all areas have been evacuated. Failure to evacuate during a drill or alarm will result in a $50 fine and further disciplinary action.

Halogen Lamps
Halogen lamps are prohibited in the residence halls. Use of these lamps is also against the National Electrical Code and the Life Safety Code. Several universities have experienced residence hall fires due to the amount of heat these lamps produce. These lamps may also put a strain on the building electrical wiring due to the amount of amps they require. Possession of a halogen lamp will result in a fine of $25. The student must remove the lamp from the building immediately.

Heaters
Space heaters and radiators, whether electric or kerosene powered, are not allowed in residence halls. Possession of a space heater will result in a fine of $25. The student must remove the heater from the building immediately.

Light Fixtures
The use of acetate, cellophane, tissue paper, or other combustible materials over or in the light fixture is forbidden by fire safety regulations.

Safety Equipment
Any student found to be responsible for the misuse of safety equipment, which includes, but is not limited to: fire hoses and valves, emergency lights, exit signs, smoke/heat detectors, fire panels, electrical panels, fire extinguishers, and public area lighting, will be assessed a $250 fine and be subject to further disciplinary action. NOTE: Tampering, pulling, disabling, disconnecting, and/or dismantling a fire alarm system for any reason is both a federal and state criminal offense. Anyone found in violation of the above criminal offense will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors should be plugged in at all times. Staff will perform routine checks to determine that all smoke detectors are functioning. Failure to have a smoke detector plugged in (or missing a battery) is a safety violation and is subject to a fine of $250.

Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in all halls and houses. Smoking outside of halls is restricted to approved areas. Smoking in non-smoking areas will result in a $100 fine. Residents will be held responsible for the actions of their guests.

If you discover or suspect a fire:

Inform the building staff immediately. If building staff is not available, call the University Police Department at extension 41000. Provide as much information as possible to the dispatcher. Sound the building fire alarm.

Listed are some potential fire hazards that should not occur in residence halls.

1. Abuse of electrical supply - Use of electrical devices to obtain an excessive number of outlets can result in the overload of circuits.
   
2. Waste - All waste should be disposed of on a daily basis. Blocking exit paths is prohibited by law. Corridors and stairs must be kept free from obstacles.
   
3. Storage - Blocking exit paths is prohibited by law. Doorways, corridors and stairs must be kept free of obstacles, therefore no storage is allowed in any public area or hallway.
   
4. Flammable liquid storage - gasoline, paint, glue, etc., must not be stored in residential buildings.
   
5. Unattended Appliance - Percolators, irons, etc., should never be left unattended.

Obey any Residence Life staff instructions in any emergency or fire situation.

In case of fire:

1. DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN CALM.
   
2. If there is smoke in the room, keep low to the floor.
   
3. Before opening a door, feel the door and the door knob. If they are hot, do not open the door.
   
4. Before opening a door, brace yourself against it and open it slightly. If heat or heavy smoke is present, close the door and stay in the room.
   
5. If you can leave the room, take your room key and close all doors behind you.
   
6. Go to the nearest exit or stairs. If the exit contains dense smoke, find another escape route. Posted in each room, hallway, and stairwell are evacuation plans for your reference.
   
7. After evacuating the building, meet at your designated area and stand clear.
   
8. If all exits are blocked, stay in your room. Remain calm.
   
9. If your room has a phone, call University Police at 41000. Tell them where you are and that you need assistance.
   
10. Open a window slightly to let fresh air in. Take care not to draw smoke into the room or feed the fire by creating a draft.
    
11. Draw water from the bathroom to keep towels and sheets wet.
    
12. Place wet towels and sheets around doors and cracks.
    
13. Hang an object out the window to attract fire department's attention (sheet, blanket, or jacket).
    
14. If heavy smoke is present, place wet towel over your nose and mouth and keep low to the floor.

THE FIRE AND LIFE SAFETY EQUIPMENT (fire alarms, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and exit sign) ARE FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL PERSONS RESIDING IN THE HALL. MISUSE OF THESE ITEMS WILL NOT BE TOLERATED BY THE UNIVERSITY.

EVACUATE THE BUILDING ANY TIME A FIRE ALARM IS ACTIVATED, EVEN IF THERE IS NO ACTUAL PROOF OF FIRE.