Fire Procedures
When a fire occurs in a residence hall , sorority housing, or apartment unit, it is especially life threatening because of the number of people endangered. There may be people sleeping, the unit may house disabled persons, etc. Therefore, it is essential that advance preparation be made so that the occupants and emergency personnel will have specific guidelines to follow. These guidelines provide direction to those people involved and lessen the number of decisions that must be made under stress.

WHEN A FIRE ALARM OR SMOKE DETECTOR IS SOUNDED, ALWAYS TAKE THE ALARM SERIOUSLY AND ASSUME THERE IS A FIRE.

If the situation allows, take a coat, wear shoes, and carry a wet towel for hair protection and to lessen smoke inhalation. Close your windows, turn out the lights, and shut and lock the door. Do not stop for personal belongings.

Attempt to notify those in the most immediate danger, disabled people first. Help those in need of assistance to a place of greater safety. This area should be at least 100 feet away from the burning building and out of the path of arriving emergency personnel. However, everyone should remain in the area until the hall staff or campus security can obtain an accurate list of those evacuated.

Residence Halls, Sorority Housing, and Apartments

If there is smoke in your room/apartment, keep low to the floor. Crawl to your window and open it a few inches to let in fresh air. If smoke is entering the room/apartment, stuff all openings with towels, etc.

If your room/apartment is clear of smoke, touch the door before opening. If it is hot, do not open! Stay in your room/apartment, and wait for emergency personnel to reach you. Hang a sheet from your window to identify your location.

If you touch the door and it’s not hot, open it. Once in the corridor, head quickly to any stairway. Exit down the stairway double file, making room for persons on the other floors as they enter the stairway. Remain calm while leaving the building.

When you have exited, move away from the building. Keep out of the way of emergency personnel. If you believe someone may be trapped on your floor/apartment, report this immediately to fire fighters or Campus Security.

Do not re-enter the building for any reason.

If you have any information regarding a fire, you are encouraged to tell the nearest campus security officer or to call the university dispatcher.

In Case of Fire

  • In the residence halls and sorority housing, SOUND AN ALARM AND EVACUATE.
  • In the apartments, EVACUATE.
  • Call 9-911 and speak slowly and clearly to enable them to understand you. (Call 911 at apartments or pay phones.)
  • Give your name.
  • Give any other relevant information, i.e., if anyone is hurt or in immediate danger.

If you cannot use the phone in your room:

  • Call 9-911 from the nearest campus phone. (Call 911 from non-campus numbers or pay phones.)
  • Use one of the blue emergency phones on campus.
  • Contact a residence life staff member or the desk assistant, and they will phone security.

Use extinguishers according to the instructions only if it is safe for you to do so and you feel comfortable. If the fire is spreading rapidly or producing quantities of smoke, take no chances. Evacuate the building immediately.

Always call campus security first so assistance will be on the way. Also, notify the residence director as soon as possible (in the residence halls, the desk assistant can assist). If someone is in immediate danger, of course, only you can decide what must be done first. Do not attempt to fight the fire or notify all the people in the complex until you have called for assistance. If you do, you have allowed the fire to gain momentum and have endangered even more people. Calls to 911 are automatically identified by the campus operator, and campus security will join the fire personnel in providing assistance.