The University of Kentucky #FireMarshal‘s Office kicks off September’s Campus Safety Month with a dramatic demonstration of how quickly a fire can start in a college dorm room. https://uknow.uky.edu/uk-happenings/uk-celebrates-national-campus-fire-safety-month-blazing-demonstration.
We are observing this important month as well. Read more.
Dallas – September 1, 2017 – Guardian Safety Solutions International, Inc. (GSSI), the nation’s largest provider of range top fire suppression systems, will observe national Campus Fire Safety Month throughout September. The observance was launched in 2005 by the Center for Campus Fire Safety to unite nationwide fire and university officials to improve fire and life safety on campus. In addition to loss of life and injuries from cooking fires, campus cooking fires cause more than $9.4 million in damages each year.
“Most of the parental fears when sending kids off to college concern safety. But, I suspect that many parents rank fear of kitchen fires well below those of drugs, alcohol, crime and other campus issues,” said Paul Rouse, GSSI’s administrative officer. “They shouldn’t. In fact, dear parents, college fires should move up to the top of your list of concerns since 83 percent of college campus fires are cooking related.”
Besides rigorous college courses, there are many demands on young adults’ attention in today’s busy world – texting, emails, friends visiting, the hectic start of college life and possibly alcohol and drug consumption. It’s pretty easy for college kids to start to cook a meal and forget about it. Next thing you know, a fire spreads from a stove or hot plate to curtains and other highly-flammable material in a dorm room or apartment. Putting the fire out quickly is imperative to minimize injury to students and damage to the building and belongings.
Ranges or cooktops accounted for the majority cooking fire incidents. “Prevention is the core of our ‘Guardian Solution’ range top suppression system. That’s why we observe fire prevention all year, not just this month,” said Rouse. “The time to protect college students against a range top fires is before they strike. Once campuses install the Guardian, parents can rest at ease.” He added that off-campus apartment s and student housing kitchens can be retrofitted as well. With the system, a fire can be extinguished in as little as seven seconds (video).
Most college fires are due to lack of knowledge about fire safety and prevention. So what can parents do to help minimize risks? Here’s some basic advice to discuss with college students and the college administration.
- Make sure there are smoke detectors installed and that the batteries are fresh.
- Teach your kid how to use a fire extinguisher. Before they leave for school, practice using one with your child and make sure there is at least one available in the cooking area at the dorm.
- Discuss escape routes when you deliver your college student to the dorm.
- Emphasize that leaving a building when a fire alarm goes off is imperative. It could save your child’s life. Emphasize that no property or memento is worth dying for.
- Learn to properly use and maintain stoves and cooking appliances.
It’s also a good idea to talk to the head of the cafeteria on campus and dorm manager about fire safety. Make sure that they:
- Install smoke alarms in every room and test weekly.
- Inspect rooms and buildings for fire hazards regularly.
- Make sure exit doors and windows are working properly.
- Conduct fire drills and practice escape routes.
- Get to know on-campus public safety personnel
An inexpensive way to prevent tragedies from cooking is to have the college install an automatic range top suppression system over each stove in dorm room cooking areas. They are designed to detect and extinguish cooking fires and at the same time prevent re-ignition. Installed sprinkler systems can also prevent deaths and injuries, as well as reduce millions of dollars in property damage. College life is meant to be a wonderful beginning not a tragic end. Take these steps to protect precious children to ensure a safe and fun college experience.
For more information, visit www.guardianssi.com. Like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GuardianSSI and on Twitter @GuardianSSI.
About GSSI
Protecting families worldwide since 1985, Guardian Safety Solutions International Inc. is the recognized leader in the development and manufacturing of residential range top fire protection systems. GSSI’s mission is to develop and distribute quality safety products that provide customers with peace of mind, while protecting lives and property.
Press contact only:
Susan M. Tellem, APR, RN, BSN, Tellem Grody PR, Inc. 310-313-3444 x1; susan@tellemgrodypr.com