The Importance of Following Fire Safety Standards

Fire safety is something that we are all taught from a young age, being told not to play with matches, and what to do if we were in a situation where there was a fire present. I believe it’s been ingrained in our heads so frequently, that we tend to forget just how easy it is for a fire to start, and what could cause one. Especially as a college student, most of us are unaware that some of the things we’d like to keep in our dorms; whether it be candles, tapestries, or curtains, are capable of causing the room to become quickly engulfed by flames. While the odds of a tapestry bursting into flames are quite slim, if there were a fire, the tapestry would go up within a matter of seconds causing the fire to spread at an alarming rate. It’s examples like that which aren’t typically considered by most students, which is why it is important to be educated on fire safety.

After reading the articles and watching the videos linked, I understand why fire safety is important. While at the time, I did not understand why curtains were that big of a hazard. But after reading the article where a candle caught the shades on fire, I understood that they’re susceptible to igniting quite quickly, and if there were a fire, they would go up within a matter of seconds. It’s important to understand, which I believe not many people do, that even if the fire doesn’t originate in their dorm, it has the capability of spreading. Once it spreads, your dorm can go up within a matter of seconds because of the tapestries and curtains and other items that are viewed to be a fire hazard. That’s an important fact that I believe most don’t realize; just because the object itself isn’t completely capable of starting a fire, doesn’t mean it still doesn’t pose a threat.

The videos that featured a mock dorm fire were extremely helpful, in my opinion, on demonstrating adequate fire safety. If students were to visualize just how quickly a fire can spread because of certain objects, it would put the situation into perspective for many. In one video, it took a while for the fire to begin spreading, but once it reached the tapestry the dorm went up within a matter of seconds. I believe that having demonstrations such as that, or even just showing the videos before students were allowed to begin moving into the dorms, would be beneficial towards educating students on fire safety. Also having students review the handbook, and possibly even having a small assignment or quiz prior to moving in would be beneficial as well. A small quiz that ensures students know what is allowed and what isn’t, and it should stress the fact that tapestries and other wall adornments are not allowed because it’s something that most people don’t realize, myself included. There should also be a section that explains why these items are not allowed in the dorms, and that while they are incapable of being the cause of a fire, they pose a risk because of how quickly they can cause a fire to spread.

In order to ensure that I will be taking the appropriate fire safety precautions, I will read up more on the handbook and make sure I’m clear on knowing what constitutes a fire hazard. If I was unsure about whether or not something I owned would be against the rules, I would ask an RA or someone in charge of campus living to make sure I wasn’t breaking the rules or putting anyone else living in the dorms at risk. I understood some objects were obviously not aloud, such as candles or hot plates. Now that I am aware of the risk that certain objects can present when it comes to fire safety, I will definitely be more careful in ensuring that I keep myself and others living in the dorm safe by keeping any object that poses a threat out of my dorm.

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