While some students may find it inconvenient to be alerted during the evening of a fire drill happening, the practice is meant to build familiarity with the procedure in the event of an actual fire taking place, according to Director of Campus Safety and Compliance Chris Buckley.
Fire drills are held once each semester in each residence hall, according to Keene State’s education, programs and services page on its website.
Buckley said there are few instances where this schedule is deviated from, but there may be more than one drill depending on the number of students in the dorm at the time and if the drill was done properly by the students.
Buckley said drills take place in the evenings mainly to get as many students as possible to participate and familiarize themselves with the procedure, but that drills also do not take place past 10 p.m.
“We don’t want to inconvenience the students,” Buckley said of the timing.
When it comes to real fire situations, the common culprit is misuse of cooking equipment, Buckley said.
According to a June 2010 Topical Fire Report Series article on university housing fires published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), cooking accounted for 83% of all university housing fires.
Additionally, non-surge-protected extension cords, personal cooking equipment, candles, smoking materials and open flames of any kind present danger when brought into a dorm room, according to the “What to Bring” page written by the Transitions and Community Living Department on Keene State’s website.
When it comes to dorm buildings that may have had several run-ins with fire-related incidents over the course of a semester, Buckley said that does not warrant holding additional drills.
“There’s enough practice there,” he said.
Buckley said improper storage of flammable materials as well as placement of certain items near heaters also increase risk of fire.
In terms of advice for students in a fire situation, Buckley said to make sure you
are familiarized with your residence hall’s nearest exit, as well as the alternative exits and placement of fire extinguishers.
“If students adhere to the policies it creates a safer environment for everyone and reduces the risk of fire,” Buckley said.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
nhope@kscequinox.com
