WHAT TO DO IF A FIRE SHOULD OCCUR:
- If door is HOT, stay in your room, phone for help, and wait for a firefighter.
- If door is NOT HOT, leave and close the door behind you to stop the spread of the fire.
- SOUND the alarm; alert others to the danger, pull a manual alarm station.
- GET OUT of the building.
- NOTIFY the fire department, Call 911.
- DO NOT go back into the building or try to save your stuff. Clothes, books, and papers can be replaced, YOU CANNOT!!
Plan and Practice
- Make sure everyone is familiar with the sound of the fire alarm. When you hear the alarm, leave the building immediately.
- Do not think of it as a false alarm or a prank. Assume it’s the real thing.
- Plan escape routes. Know at least two ways out of the building. Use the buddy system. Assemble at your designated place, check with your RA if you are unsure where this is.
- Do not use the elevator.
- Review your room evacuation plan. Do not cover or remove.
- For information regarding accommodations and resources for students with disabilities, please visit the Office of Disability, Access, and Inclusion.
When an alarms sounds, first feel the door with the back of your hand before you open it. If it is hot to the touch do not open. Instead place a wet towel underneath the door and go to the window and try to signal someone below. Call 911 and let them know that you are trapped in your room and your exact location. If you have to leave your room and the hallway is full of smoke:
- Crawl low under smoke. If you must escape through an area with smoke, crawl on your hands and knees with your head 12-24 inches above the floor.
- If your clothes catch on fire, don’t run. STOP, DROP & ROLL. STOP where you are, DROP to the ground and cover your face with your hands, and ROLL over to smother the flames.
- When an alarm sounds, leave immediately, go to your meeting place, and call the fire department.
Smoke Detectors
No matter what type of device you may have, no smoke detector can do its job if it is disabled. It is a felony in Rhode Island to tamper with any fire and life safety equipment.
- LEAVE the detector uncovered.
- LEAVE the detector on the wall or ceiling.
