As high school students graduate and prepare to move away to college, they find out there are many things they need to know and understand before they truly are on their own. Many children learn about fire safety when they are in grade school. Once they reach third or maybe fourth grade, they are no longer reminded about the hazards of fire, and how they can prevent fires by applying fire safety practices each and every day.



The tragedy is, many students leave for college with little to no reminders about fire safety. The result is often careless fires on campus that could have easily been prevented; sometimes lives are even lost. If college campuses would take the initiative to educate and inform college students who live on campus about fire safety, certainly fewer fires and fatalities would occur on campuses across the United States each year.

So, how can college campuses educate and remind students about the necessity of creating good habits by practicing fire safety in their daily lives? Pamphlets in dorms, restrooms, and campus apartment rooms, including a pamphlet in students? orientation packets help as well. Many campuses put wellness signs up throughout the grounds to remind students to be healthy. Possibly signs on campus or sheets of paper on bulletin boards are also excellent ways to get the word around. Also, if campuses want to get the local community involved, they could invite the local fire department to come and speak to students about fire safety. Making it a student or school sponsored BBQ is always fun, and poor college students always show up for free food!

So, what kind of tips and information should be included in these pamphlets? Statistics always help people to understand the seriousness and the extent of fire damage on campus grounds (often the campus dormitories or apartment housing). On campus, the number of one cause of fire is started in the kitchen. Providing students with tips on kitchen safety would certainly help reduce the number kitchen-related causes of fire on college campuses. Reminding students to keep books, magazines, paper towels, napkins, and bags away from the stove top, in addition to keeping the handles of pots and pans turned inward on the stove.

The pamphlet can also remind students to always put candles in votives or a similar form of protective shield or base. Mention that candles should not be lit unless someone is present in the room, and when the person leaves, they should be responsible for blowing out the candle.

Many people are familiar with the unflattering college student stereotype: work hard, and play harder. Studies have shown that the most fatalities that occur on college campuses are the deaths of students in fires who were under the influence of alcohol at the time. Being intoxicated limits judgment and it also inhibits a quick response for escape.

Many college campuses are active when it comes to reminding students to lead healthy lives and pay attention to their mental, physical, and emotional well being. However, fire safety can often be overlooked, and sadly, student housing has been destroyed and loves have been lost due to the lack of fire safety practices of careless smoking habits. Reminding students of fire safety through pamphlets, message boards, and posted signs can reduce the number of campus fires, in addition to saving the lives of ambitious students.