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IMPORTANT MESSAGES FROM OUR PRESIDENT
JUSTIN DANIELS:
“September is not only a month to ensure students, residents, and all campus faculty and staff, are following good fire safety protocols, but also a month to remember those we have lost from tragic fires on college campuses. Codes, standards, and best practice exist as lessons learned from these tragedies and the common theme among all of those horrible losses is that they could have been prevented.
- Make sure smoke detectors are working.
- Make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector where there are gas appliances.
- Only live in residence halls or off-campus housing where fire sprinklers are present.
We know how to prevent loss of life from fire, we just need to put it into practice in our daily lives. College campuses are busy places, particularly in the fall with new students, college football, and other big fall events. Take the time to stop and make sure you’re living your life in a way that takes fire safety seriously and be responsible for your own safety.”
CCFS has been collecting statistics since January 2000. They include student deaths On or Off Campus and in Greek Housing, and all within a three-mile radius of their college or university. According to Justin Daniels, CCFS president, “sadly, 134 student lives were lost with 114 of these in off-campus housing. That’s why CCFS and NFPA work together each year. We developed the Student “Share” program with safety tips and videos that both educators and students can use at no cost. These resources should help us to help us reach Off-Campus areas as well.”
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As the new school year draws near, college students across the country are preparing to move to campus in a dormitory or off-campus housing. Through their annual “Campus Fire Safety for Students” campaign in September, the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) and The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) are working together to help ensure these residences are as safe as possible for students.
RESOURCES:
CCFS 2024 Press Release
2024 Governor Proclamation Request
For more information about our Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign and to find free resources:
Alan Sactor, vice president, CCFS, said,
“Micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters and smaller electronics such as cell phones, laptops, and tablets are vital to the daily life of college students. However, the mishandling or misuse of these batteries can lead to safety hazards such as overheating, fire, or even explosions. NFPA and the CCFS are working together to help educate students on how to use, store, and charge these devices safely to reduce the risk of fire.”
STATISTICS:
According to CCFS, from January 2000 to September 2024:
https://www.myccfs.org/fire-fatality-stats
- 94 fatal fires occurred on a college campus, in Greek housing, or in off-campus housing within three miles of the campus, claiming 134 lives.
- Of the 94 fires, 38 were accidental and involved cooking, candles, smoking, or electrical equipment. This category resulted in 51 student fatalities.
According to NFPA’s latest “Fires in Dormitory-Type Properties” :
The latest NFPA statistics, show that U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 3,331 structure fires each year in dormitories, fraternity houses, sorority houses, and barracks between 2018 and 2022. Fires in dormitory-type properties caused an annual average of 21 civilian deaths, 23 civilian injuries, and $21 million in direct property damage during that period. Approximately three out of four fires in these properties began in the kitchen or cooking area, accounting for 58 percent of the civilian injuries and 11 percent of the direct property damage. Cooking equipment was involved in nearly eight out of 10 fires.
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