Fire Safety Report

Murray State University

Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management

FIRE SAFETY REPORT (FOR STUDENT HOUSING)

The following table shows, by Residential College , a description of each on-campus student housing facility fire safety system, as well as the number of fire drills held during the previous year

Murray State Residential Facility	Fire Alarm Monitoring at MSU Police Department	Sprinkler System (Full or Partial)	Other Fire Extinguishing Devices	Smoke/Fire Detection Devices	Alert Devices (horns, bells, strobe lights)	Smoke-control and reduction mechanisms	Fire doors and walls that reduce spread of fire	Evacuation Plans/Placards	Number of Evacuation (fire) drills each academic year
Lee Clark College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
Elizabeth College	X	F	X	X	X	X	X	X	2
Hart College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
Richmond College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
Franklin College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
Springer College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
Hester College	X	F	X	X	X	X	X	X	3
New Richmond College (opened Fall 2009)	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	0
Regents College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
White College	X	F	X	X	X		X	X	2
College Courts			X	X	X		X	X	0

Any device with an open heating element, including heaters, toasters and toaster ovens, is prohibited. Small heating units with enclosed coils such as a coffee pot or hot pot are legal. Enclosed popcorn poppers are legal provided they are used for popping corn only. Open flame burning of any kind is prohibited. Smoking is prohibited in all student housing facilities. Violation of any of these rules could result in disciplinary action and/or termination of the room and board contract.

Evacuation plans for each on-campus student housing facility have been developed by the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management and have been placed on the back of every on-campus student housing room door as well as by each elevator. These plans show the evacuation route as well as providing basic instructions for evacuation in case of a fire.

The Student Life Handbook contains a section entitled “Emergency Procedures” that includes Fire Emergency Instructions. In case of a fire:

Sound the fire alarm
Call the Fire Department (911)
Call the hall desk or staff member on duty in hall
Remain calm and act quickly
Wear protective clothing such as a coat and shoes, and carry a damp towel for use in heavy smoke.
Close the room door and windows
Walk in an orderly manner to the nearest exit. NEVER USE AN ELEVATOR.
Move a safe distance away from the building and out of the way of fire department personnel.
Remain outside until told by the hall staff to return.

If you think there is a fire in the hallway, you should feel the door before opening it.

If the door does not feel hot, open it slightly, holding your head away and bracing the door with your foot.
Put your hand across the opening to test the heat of the air.
If the door is hot and the hallway unsafe, stop up any opening or cracks through which smoke may enter, using wet towels, sheets, blankets, etc.
If smoke does enter the room, open the window for ventilation; break it if it is sealed.
Do not jump; make your presence known by hanging a sheet or a piece of clothing from your window and wait for rescue.

In case of a minor fire:

Pull the fire alarm.
Use a wastebasket full of water, a fire extinguisher, or a blanket to smother out the fire. (Fire hoses are to be used by Fire Department personnel only.)
Do not use water on an electrical or grease fire!
Call the staff member on duty in your hall.
Never risk your personal safety!

The “Emergency Procedures Guide” which has been widely distributed to faculty and staff and which is also available on the MSU webpage at http://www.murraystate.edu/emergency_info/phone.htm contains a Fire section which outlines the following procedures to be followed:

Smoke, fire or an explosion in a building shall warrant activation of the nearest fire alarm pull station which is located near an outside exit.
Call MSU Police at 911. If there is no answer, or if the line is busy, call 2222. Immediately evacuate the building using established evacuation routes. Do not use elevators.
If possible, provide assistance to mobility-impaired individuals. If this is not possible, or if anyone is injured, call MSU Police at 911. Provide the location to arriving emergency services (fire, police, etc.) of physically impaired individuals.
Do not attempt to extinguish fire.
Once outside the building, account for all building occupants at the designated meeting area.
Do not re-enter the building or leave the campus unless told to do so by the building coordinator, department chair, or MSU Police.
Report damage to Facilities Management at 4291.
Give any known details of the alarm or fire to arriving emergency personnel.

Each building on campus has a designated Building Coordinator. The Building Coordinator Program incorporates a yearly review with building occupants of evacuation procedures. This program is administered by the Department of Public Safety and Emergency Management.

Reports of fires on campus should be immediately made to the Murray State Police Department. The Murray State Police Department can be reached by dialing 911 or 2222 from any on-campus phone. If using an off campus (or cell) phone, the Murray State Police Department can be reached by dialing 270-809-2222.

Murray State University recently purchased smokeless ashtrays and placed them outside each Residential College . MSU also recently purchased Factory Mutual Fire Rated self-closing trash receptacles and placed them inside each Residential College . While MSU continually evaluates fire safety and preparedness, no other future improvements in fire safety have been identified by the institution. If or when a need for improvement is identified, MSU will place a priority on making the necessary changes.

Murray State Residential Facility	Total Fires in Building for Calendar Year 2008 (beginning August 14, 2008)	Fire Number	Date of Fire	Time of Fire	Cause of Fire	Number of Injuries that Required Treatment at a Medical Facility	Number of Deaths Related to Fire*	Value of Property Damage Caused by Fire	Incident Number
Lee Clark College	0
Elizabeth College	0
Hart College	0
Richmond College	0
Franklin College	0
Springer College	0
Hester College	0
New Richmond College	0
Regents College	0
White College	0
College Courts	1	1	09/27	5:40 pm	Oven Fire	0	0	25.00	2008-11150

Footnote

* - Number of Deaths Related to Fire includes deaths within 1 year of injuries sustained as a result of fire.