Students use fire extinguishers, escape from a smoke filled room as part of fire awareness month
Students in Williams Village explored a smoke filled room, used a fire extinguisher and examined fire-destroyed appliances Tuesday night as a part of a group effort between CU and the Boulder Fire Department to promote fire awareness month.
“It is important for students to be aware of Campus Fire Safety Month because oftentimes people don’t realize how much risk they put themselves in. The more aware people are the better off they are,” said Gardiner Tucker, director of residential life. “This is a whole month people are reminded fire safety is important. Then, once first-year students leave the residence halls, they are prepared.”
Eight years ago, a campus fire program was started, but this is the first year there has been an official Campus Fire Safety Month.
“The primary focus of Campus Fire Safety Month is to teach college students the importance of a working smoke alarm, having clear exits and knowing how to prevent fires before they start,” said Sherry Kenyon, fire safety coordinator for Boulder Fire Department.
In the past three years, fire safety events such as drills and floor meetings in the residence halls have taken place, but this year many additions were made to make Campus Fire Safety Month effective.
During September, every residence hall was required to have a fire drill and a floor meeting about fire safety. Informational brochures as well as table tents were placed around residence halls to bring awareness to the month.
“It is important for people to be aware, to look out for themselves, but also protect their fellow students in the community,” Tucker said.
By the end of the month, one dorm from Kittredge, Williams Village and the Farrand Field complex will each have experienced a simulation. The simulations include a smoke-filled room for students to try to make their way through, a fire extinguisher station and a case studies display that includes appliances that were in fires.
On Aug. 15, the Boulder Fire Department trained 220 residential advisors in fire prevention and safety. Dining and maintenance staff is also trained throughout the year. The comprehensive program is known as the Residence Life Fire Academy.
“In training they fogged out a hallway and we went in. You couldn’t see anything, it smelled bad and you couldn’t breathe,” said Heidi Hock, a sophomore international affairs major. “It was interesting to discover how disoriented you can get in a fire. Students think they can just walk out in a fire, but until you experience the smoke you don’t know how dangerous it is.”
According to Kenyon, there has been a steady decrease of fires in the past eight years. Evacuation numbers are up and compliance with fire safety rules are better. In residence halls, CU requests that there would not be any open coils, candles, halogen lamps, smoking or flammable products such as propane and lighter fluid.
“One of the biggest problems is people who light posters on a bulletin board in their room. This happens once or twice a year and can lead to suspension,” Tucker said.
The last fire in a residence hall was because of a halogen lamp that was up against a wooden headboard. The fire took place in Cheyenne Arapahoe in April 2005. A great deal of fires off campus are caused by candles or improperly discarded smoking materials, Kenyon said.
The University of Colorado and the Boulder Fire Department have built a program that is admired by many other universities.
“I am very proud of this partnership with the University of Colorado. They are so proactive in terms of fire safety education for all students,” Kenyon said.
The Residential Life Fire Academy will be unveiled as a national training program next April through the Center for Campus Fire Safety.
“I hope students and the CU community take away from this month the awareness that fire can happen to them,” Kenyon said. “They need to know how to prevent it and react to it in order to save their own lives.”
Man on the Street
Greg Tsukahara, a freshman psychology major
Q) What was your first reaction when you saw and smelled the smoke?
A) I didn’t think they would put so much effort into the simulation. It seemed really realistic.
Q) Do you believe these simulations have furthered your knowledge of fire awareness?
A) I don’t feel like I learned anything, but it was tight.
Justin Shon, a freshman open-option major
Q) What was your first reaction when you saw and smelled the smoke?
A) It was darker than I expected and the smoke was thick and hard to see through, but it didn’t smell like smoke.
Q) Do you believe these simulations have furthered your knowledge of fire awareness?
A) It was cool but it didn’t really teach me anything, but it was fun.
Holly Schor, a freshman open-option major
Q) What was your first reaction when you saw and smelled the smoke?
A) I knew what to expect, but the smoke was thicker than I expected.
Q) Do you believe these simulations have furthered your knowledge of fire awareness?
A) Mainly the opportunity to use a fire extinguisher. It was helpful because I had never used one.
Anne Blichfeld, a freshman business major
Q) What was your first reaction when you saw and smelled the smoke?
A) It was really dark and smoky so we had to feel our way through.
Q) Do you believe these simulations have furthered your knowledge of fire awareness?
A) Yes, because I had the chance to use a fire extinguisher. I thought it would be hard, but it actually wasn’t.
Lauren Temmer, a senior MCD biology and psychology major
Q) What was your first reaction when you saw and smelled the smoke?
A) It made me kind of claustrophobic and it was hard to breathe.
Q) Do you believe these simulations have furthered your knowledge of fire awareness?
A) It definitely furthered my knowledge. I think it’s a really cool program and it draws people out. It makes you realize you don’t want to start a fire.
Wyler Weir, a freshman open-option major
Q) What was your first reaction when you saw and smelled the smoke?
A) It was very smoky and hard to breathe.
Q) Do you believe these simulations have furthered your knowledge of fire awareness?
A) 100 percent. It was a life changing experience because I learned how it feels to be in a fire.
