The equipment upgrades and revised reporting procedures covered in part 1 of this two-part series can put a campus on the right track toward optimal fire safety (see “ Complying With the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act [Part 1 of 2]” in the January/February issue of Campus Safety magazine). These improvements, however, can only do so much if students don’t know how to respond should a fire actually occur.

Many campus fire officials believe that routine fire safety training, especially for students who are away from home for the first time, is extremely important. However, many colleges experience challenges getting their fire safety messages across. “We’re competing with so many activities on campus that getting a fire safety message out can be difficult,” says Gini Krippner, fire marshal at the University of California, Merced. “But it’s a vital life safety lesson we’re teaching our students, so we must continuously look for ways to be hands-on and even a little bit entertaining.”

Officials at other campuses agree with Krippner about the difficulties associated with catching and keeping student attention. That’s why universities such as Cornell partner with local firefighters and police to try to make a lasting impression with students through the use of a room burn. “A room burn is a live, controlled situation that simulates a real dorm room fire,” says Joe DeMarco, emergency services specialist for Cornell University. “Students were taken aback by the level of heat and the quick-spreading flames.”

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