State Fire Marshal issues fire safety tips
Cynthia Foster
Issue date: 8/20/07 Section: News
The Illinois State Fire Marshal recently put out a list of fire safety tips for students.
The tips include making sure the housing unit is equipped with a working smoke alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping area and testing the smoke alarm monthly.
Illinois law requires working smoke alarms be placed within 15 feet of every sleeping area and alarms be maintained in working order.
It is the responsibility of the building's owner to provide a working smoke alarm.
"It is the responsibility of the renter, the student, to make sure working batteries are kept in the smoke detector and that they are not taken out," Patti Thompson, communications manager for the Office of the State Fire Marshal, said.
"As smoke detectors have been used more and more in houses, the rate of home fire deaths have gone down dramatically, and it's probably one of the most important things you can have to save your life," Thompson said.
The fire marshal also recommends extinguishing smoking materials thoroughly.
"A lot of fires start because people don't fully put out their smoking materials before they go to sleep or they throw it into a trash can and the fire starts that way," Colleen Lucht, fire and life safety specialist of ISU's Environmental Health and Safety, said.
Other recommendations are to never leave candles or incense burning unattended, do not smoke while impaired or tired, clean up trash and debris after parties, keep all space heaters at least three feet away from furnishings, do not overload electrical outlets or power strips and learn how to properly use cooking appliances.
"A lot of fires start in the kitchen because people put something on the stove and they forget about it, they get tied up someplace else in the house and the materials catch on fire, and so a lot of fires spread that way. Always stay in the kitchen when you're cooking," Lucht said.
The seven main causes for fire are discarded smoking materials, candles, cooking, alcohol-impaired judgment, electrical, fireworks and arson, according to Lucht.
"For many kids this is the first time that they are away from home, and there's a lot of things that their parents have probably taken care of for them that they wouldn't think of, but now they need to start thinking about these things that affect their safety," Thompson said
"Fire safety is the single most important thing you can learn when you come to the university. It's applicable throughout your whole life," Lucht said.
The tips include making sure the housing unit is equipped with a working smoke alarm within 15 feet of every sleeping area and testing the smoke alarm monthly.
Illinois law requires working smoke alarms be placed within 15 feet of every sleeping area and alarms be maintained in working order.
It is the responsibility of the building's owner to provide a working smoke alarm.
"It is the responsibility of the renter, the student, to make sure working batteries are kept in the smoke detector and that they are not taken out," Patti Thompson, communications manager for the Office of the State Fire Marshal, said.
"As smoke detectors have been used more and more in houses, the rate of home fire deaths have gone down dramatically, and it's probably one of the most important things you can have to save your life," Thompson said.
The fire marshal also recommends extinguishing smoking materials thoroughly.
"A lot of fires start because people don't fully put out their smoking materials before they go to sleep or they throw it into a trash can and the fire starts that way," Colleen Lucht, fire and life safety specialist of ISU's Environmental Health and Safety, said.
Other recommendations are to never leave candles or incense burning unattended, do not smoke while impaired or tired, clean up trash and debris after parties, keep all space heaters at least three feet away from furnishings, do not overload electrical outlets or power strips and learn how to properly use cooking appliances.
"A lot of fires start in the kitchen because people put something on the stove and they forget about it, they get tied up someplace else in the house and the materials catch on fire, and so a lot of fires spread that way. Always stay in the kitchen when you're cooking," Lucht said.
The seven main causes for fire are discarded smoking materials, candles, cooking, alcohol-impaired judgment, electrical, fireworks and arson, according to Lucht.
"For many kids this is the first time that they are away from home, and there's a lot of things that their parents have probably taken care of for them that they wouldn't think of, but now they need to start thinking about these things that affect their safety," Thompson said
"Fire safety is the single most important thing you can learn when you come to the university. It's applicable throughout your whole life," Lucht said.
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