East Lansing Fire Marshal Bob Pratt will set a dorm room on fire to make sure students know what to do in case of an emergency.
September is Campus Fire Safety Month due in part to the recent increase of fire related deaths on college campuses.
Students to learn fire safety 'firsthand'
“The last thing I want to see is a student be harmed in a fire,” East Lansing Fire Marshal Robert Pratt says as he goes over a fire safety flier with a fraternity member. According to Pratt, the “big three” that Pratt makes sure to check are if alarm systems are up and running, smoke detectors are open and working, and all exits are clear.
“We’re out to make sure students are safe and know what they’re doing,” Pratt said.
One way the Fire Prevention Bureau plans to teach students about fire safety is by showing them firsthand.
Pratt is planning a demonstration for some of the larger houses in East Lansing, including fraternities and sororities.
It will include lighting a mock-dorm room on fire and showing the steps to take to ensure a safe evacuation.
Something as small as a candle has the ability to set fire to a whole room in five minutes, Pratt said.
“A fire can happen and progress faster than you can respond unless you have a good plan,” Pratt said.
Another way the Fire Prevention Bureau plans to educate students in September is by showing videos that teach students what to do in case of a fire.
Pratt will be visiting houses off campus to talk about the importance of fire alarms and see if they are functioning properly.
Pratt said he feels it is necessary to visit houses off campus because they do not have trained staff living in every hall like dormitories.
A majority of the fires in East Lansing are started in houses off campus, said East Lansing firefighter and paramedic Tim Ledesma.
“People will come home drunk and leave food on the stove,” Ledesma said.
Statistics gathered by the East Lansing Fire Department show the number of false alarms outweighs the number of actual student fires.
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Since Jan. 1, there have been 90 fires and 380 false alarms.
A false alarm occurred at supply chain management senior Loren Crandell’s house last weekend.
The toaster oven was left on downstairs because nobody knew how to properly shut it off, Crandell said.
The fire department arrived at Crandell’s house about five minutes after he called the police to report the false alarm.
They showed Crandell and his housemates how to properly shut off the toaster oven.
“(The firefighters) were really helpful,” Crandell said.
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Pratt requests students call the fire department in the case of a false alarm.
According to Pratt, East Lansing firefighters take about three to five minutes for response.
