Every day in America, houses and apartments are engulfed in flames that, in many cases, are completely avoidable. Although many students enjoy leaving the dorms for the freedom of their own apartment or home, it's important to remember that escape plans and fire precautions are essential to student safety.
The Environmental, Health and Safety Services (EHSS) at UB offers students a program on how to become more aware of how to prevent fires and what to do in the event of a fire.
"One of the most dangerous fire hazards on and off campuses is smoking materials such as cigarettes, cigars and anything else students smoke," said James Guy, fire and life safety manager of the EHSS. "Over 80,000 fires per year occur due to carelessness while smoking."
The biggest problem with smoking indoors is neglecting the fact that a cigarette or cigar is still hot when it is put out, according to Guy. When that cigarette is thrown into a garbage can or dropped on a couch or carpet, the heat from the cigarette can start anything around it on fire.
"Smoking should be kept outside as often as possible," Guy said. "If someone must smoke inside they should always run the cigarette butt under water, then dispose of it into an ashtray."
Students like Dima Maddah, a senior math major, take special precautions when lighting up.
"I try to keep my hair out of my face so that it doesn't catch on fire," Maddah said.
Jamie Serio, a sophomore nursing major, said that although she has lived with smokers and has never previously had a problem, she takes special steps to ensure her home is safe from fire.
"I've lived with smokers my entire life and we've never had a problem with [fire safety]," Serio said. "I'm the last one to come [home] every night, so I always make sure that my parents haven't left anything burning."
Most kitchen fires start because the cook leaves the room and forgets what they are doing, Guy said. Essentially, students struck by the idea to cook a steak or deep fry some onion rings after a night out at the bar may wish to swap for some Easy Mac.
"Kitchen fires are responsible for over 146,000 fires reported each year," said Guy. "Students should remember to always tend to the food they are cooking and know to never put water onto a grease fire, but to instead use a lid to smother the flame."
Candles also pose a serious risk to student safety, according to Guy. Even though a candle is only a small flame, it can still lead to a much bigger fire and destroy homes in a matter of minutes.
"The most dangerous part of using candles is where people put them," Guy said. "Candles can be very safe when used properly. They should never be put near drapes or curtains, and should always be in a proper candle holder placed on a sturdy surface away from any papers or other flammable materials."
Students like Joey Lee, a senior linguistics major, use incense and candles occasionally, but make sure they're using the proper safeguards to avoid fire hazards.
"I have a thing that catches the ashes from my incense," Lee said, explaining that burning candles isn't the norm for him. "If I'm burning candles, they're usually on a cake. I've never left anything burning when I wasn't around. We're usually pretty careful about it."
Electrical fires are also leading causes of house fires, according to Guy. When an electrical socket is running more appliances than it is designed for, it can overheat and cause a fire.
"Many appliances such as toasters, space heaters, microwaves and hot-plates are dangerous fire hazards," said Guy. "Students often neglect to use the appliances safely, keeping combustible materials near a toaster or space heater or putting metal into a microwave, which is very dangerous and could result in a fire."
In addition to knowing how to avoid these hazards, students should create an escape plan for their living environment and practice it. Guy also said that students should know where the nearest escape is and should consider routes for escaping second story bedrooms because, unlike the dorms, it's rather unlikely their house stairways come with fire doors.
"Many students do not know what to do in the event of a fire," Guy said. "Most people think to stop, drop and roll, which is only useful when a person is actually on fire."
When a building is on fire, Guy said the first thing to do is to figure out exactly what is going on and where the fire is coming from. Exit the building and notify the fire department. If a hallway is filled with smoke it should not be entered; instead, an alternate exit should be found. If there is no alternative to smoky hallway, stay as low as possible and cover your mouths to avoid breathing in the harmful toxins smoke contains.
To avoid being trapped inside of a burning house, students should never block major exits, according to Guy. Every door should be kept clear and easily accessible. The basement and attic of a house should never be occupied due to the lack of exits in case of a fire.
"Fire safety and prevention is everybody's responsibility," Guy said. "By taking action and correcting problems in advance, fires can be prevented and many lives [can be] saved."
Additional reporting by Jason Mazurowski, Asst. Arts Editor
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
