The importance of fire safety and prevention

National Fire Prevention Week fell on Oct. 9-15, 2011 and, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), focused on the theme Protect Your Family from Fire.

The goal of this year's campaign is to use education as a tool in preventing fires and protecting ourselves, families, and communities from fire.

In an Oct. 5 FEMA news release, FEMA Regional Administrator Ken Murphy cautioned people that cooler temperatures in the Fall do not mean less fires and noted that the rate of fire and fire-related deaths often increase in the Fall. He encouraged people not to become complacent and to continue following regular fire safety routines throughout their day.

As a resident assistant in a dorm, we do monthly health and safety checks. Each RA checks every room on their floor and looks for multiple things – violations, cleanliness, and safety. I don't think students really understand that our main goal isn't to look for violations to document or intrude on your time, but to look for fire hazards and make sure that everything in resident's rooms is safe for themselves and for others on the floor and in the building as a whole.

There's always a frustrated or curious resident who asks me, ‘Do you really need to check my smoke alarm during health and safety checks? You can just say you checked it, it was working last month.' My answer is always yes, I do – it's not as if I enjoy climbing up on a chair 34 times to check all of the smoke detectors in each room, but I'll do it to keep others and myself safe.

And honestly, I usually contact Physical Plant with at least one smoke detector every month that's batteries died or that made an odd sound and wasn't working and they come as soon as possible to fix the issue and prevent any fires.

A lot of students think that fires in a residence hall are extremely unlikely, but the reality is students die every day in fire-related deaths, even on college campuses. The Center for Campus Fire Safety's homepage features articles that include student fire-related deaths and injuries on college campuses throughout America. There were nine articles in September featuring fires on campuses, some including deaths and injuries, and already two October articles feature the death of an Indiana University student.

As a campus, we really need to be aware of the need for fire safety and be following those everyday rules that are put in place to protect ourselves and our communities from fire; and that doesn't end off-campus. One of the most overlooked aspects of students involved in fires is the fact that many will happen to students living in off-campus housing where there is little or no regulation involving fire safety and prevention.

People say all of the time that Muskingum is a close-knit community and family – with that in mind think carefully about those around you and FEMA's Protect Your Family from Fire theme this year. Even if you're not actively involved in fire prevention or education, it's always worth the time to educate yourself about the realities and dangers of fire and to take that knowledge into account in our everyday lives. Check your smoke alarm, turn off the dryer before you leave, stay in the kitchen while you cook; you never know when it could save your life.