Department of Safety & Security

FIRESAFETY

Fire Safety is Everyone's Concern

Each year an average of 1,800 residence hall fires lead to injury, millions of dollars of property damage and even loss of life at American colleges and universities. The Salve Regina safety & security office firmly believes that the first step in fire safety is education. Education can help prevent a large percentage of fires. An informed student body will be less careless and can avoid conditions that start fires.

Fire safety education at Salve Regina begins with freshman orientation. At orientation students and parents are educated regarding those items that are not permitted in any of the residence halls. These include candles, incense, cooking appliances, ceiling decorations, space heaters, halogen lamps, black lights and lava lamps. The walls in a student's room cannot be covered with paper products beyond ten percent. Statistically, these particular items are some of the leading causes of fires on college and university campuses. Students and parents are further educated regarding the proper size microwave and refrigerators permitted in rooms, and the use of a heavy-duty extension cord in conjunction with a surge protector.

Fire Safety education continues during the academic year with lectures by Salve safety and security officers about fire survival tactics. This training also includes the video Fire Safety in Residence Halls. The recent installation of a fire evacuation route and a separate evacuation safety procedure list in each residence hall room is a further step regarding proper fire safety procedures.

Salve Regina's safety and security, residential life and facilities departments work in daily partnership to prevent and seek solutions to any fire safety issues that may arise in the residence halls and apartments. Constant attention is also paid to fire safety during quarterly inspections of sprinkler systems, smoke alarms, heat sensors, and commercial kitchen suppression systems by licensed technicians.

The three room inspections and four fire drills per academic year are also tools by which we educate students and help to insure campus fire safety. Two of these four fire drills are regarded as 'obstructed drills' where we pre-position safety and security officers at the main exits to the building.

When the alarm is sounded we do not allow students to leave via this main exit. This educates each student regarding alternate means to exit the buildings in the event of a true emergency. Salve's department of safety and security also works closely with the Newport Fire Department in taking steps to help ensure campus fire safety.

These professional firefighters are frequent visitors to our campus where they walk through the buildings inspecting and planning for a possible emergency. At Salve Regina we believe that preventing fire with education, planning and preparation is the key to campus fire safety.

What to Leave At Home . . .

in other words these items/activities are NOT allowed in any residence hall or apartment.

Candles ------ Incense ------ Smoking ------ Cooking Appliances

Ceiling Decorations ------ Space Heater ------ Halogen Lamp ------ Lava Lamp

Neon Sign ------ Wall Coverage Beyond Ten Percent

What You Can Use in the Residence Halls & Apartments

All items should meet UL (Underwriters Laboratory) safety standards.

Surge Protectors

Single Head Heavy Duty Extension Cord
(used to extend the surge protector - one device for one extension cord)

Microwave
(0.6 cubic foot size only - one per room)

Refrigerator
(2.5 cubic foot size only - one per room)