False alarms hide fire danger

On the evening of Sept. 7 in West Halls at approximately 7:22 p.m., two students were involved in a cooking incident setting off fire alarms.

The University Police Department responded immediately and the only injury incurred was minor burns on the hands on one of the students. This fire alarm was one of 53 UPD and Commerce Fire Department have responded to since Sept 1.

"[Fire alarms] are meant to be sensitive, to alert folks to get out of the building and get to safety," John Harris, safety coordinator said.

However, a good number of the fire alarms that sound on campus are not announcing any danger.

"95% are false alarms, in the matter that there's no real fire," Bill Pretre, captain of the Commerce Fire Department, said.

Some of the common triggers of the alarms are smoke due to cooking, hairspray, steam from showers and faulty alarms, though the last is rarely the case.

One tip to deter false alarms from occurring, and also to stop fires before they start, is not overloading electrical outlets and power strips.

"Never leave stuff plugged in," Denise Buford, sophomore business administration major said.

Jason Bone, UPD crime information officer, warns to not smoke in bed. This refers not only to tobacco products, but also lighting candles and incense.

"For those cooking, like in West Halls, put a fan in the window to suck air out while cooking," Pretre said. Residence halls on campus with kitchen areas are family housing, West Halls and New Pride apartments. "Students can also watch the temperature they're cooking on and don't let the smoke build up."

In Oct. 2007, the university footed one third of the cost, or approximately $220,000, toward a 75-foot aerial ladder truck, Pretre said. The truck can reach the roof of many buildings on and off campus fire trucks previously could not.

"We can probably get all the three and four story buildings such as Binnion, Henderson and the Journalism building," Pretre said. "But we have to get close to the building."

A common misconception among students and faculty is even though the ladder is 75 feet long; it cannot reach the higher stories of buildings such as Whitley Hall. The truck could reach to the top of Whitley if the driver can maneuver right next to the building to have the ladder extend 75 feet vertically into the air. In many situations, such positioning is not possible.

In fact, the ladder is not the main tactic used during a fire. Instead, it is the fire fighters themselves.

"We're prepared to do a high-rise operation taking the elevators and stairwells," Pretre said. "We fight the fire with hand lines, not with the ladder. We set up an aerial device (the ladder) mainly as a defense operation if something goes wrong to keep the fire from spreading."

The ladder has a nozzle, which can release up to 1,000 gallons a minute, Pretre said. The ladder works well for main support and getting people out of the building as the fire fighters work their way through.

There are basic procedures that students can follow as a precursor to anything fire-related.

"We ask students to check that a smoke alarm works and know how to get out of your building in case of a fire," Pretre said.

Harris also adds there are steps students can take to keep themselves and other residents safer.

"[Students should] keep things clean and try not to tamper with fire alarms," Harris said.

The students themselves have some important safety advice for their fellow comrades.

"If you're in a fire, calmly walk to the nearest exit. If you're on an elevator, you exit the elevator and go downstairs," Buford said.

In buildings like Whitley it is required to take the "fire exit only" stairs.

"If there's a fire, get what you need and run. I'd take my purse, my phone, and my blanket," Bethany Chapman, junior sociology major said.

"The most important fire safety rule is...stop, drop and roll?" Matthew Butler, freshman undecided major said. This should not be a question and other students are well aware.

"If you're on fire, you stop drop and roll. It kind of saves your life," Chapman said.

Pretre would like all students to be aware that Fire Prevention Week is the 2nd week of October.