Fire safety continues to be a major concern for students living in on- and off-campus housing, but AU is unable to regulate off-campus housing.
Since January 2000, there have been 89 student fatalities that have occurred nationwide as a result of fire, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety,
The Center said approximately 80 percent of these fires occurred on off-campus housing. In October 2004, Daniel Rigby, a senior at Georgetown University, died of smoke inhalation after the townhouse he lived in on Prospect Street caught fire, according to The Hoya. The Hoya reported that a fallen cigarette caused the fire.
This caused Georgetown officials to investigate the precautions they had in place concerning off-campus fire safety, according to The Hoya, which led to the eviction of students living in residences that did not meet D.C. fire standards.
An off-campus fire at the University of Maryland in 2005 lead to the death of senior Michael Scrocca, who was trapped in an off-campus house when a fire broke out on the house's porch, according to USA Today.
Following the fire in Georgetown, officials from D.C. universities, including AU, met to discuss how they can make sure off-campus housing is safe.
Patricia Kelshian, executive director of Risk Management and Safety Services at AU, said the university cannot institute safety standards off-campus because it invades student privacy.
"There's a line between [the students'] safety and what we can to do to protect them in off-campus housing," she said.
On campus, various AU safety procedures designed to avoid fires have been instituted. In order to meet with D.C. fire safety regulations, students are not allowed to have certain appliances, such as refrigerators over five cubic feet, in their dorm rooms, according to the Office of Campus Life's Web site.
In addition, Kelshian said the buildings have sprinklers and smoke detectors to alert students in cases of fire. The residence halls conducted fire drills this semester to make sure students were aware of the safety procedures, she said.
Public Safety Sgt. Maurice Carter said in an e-mail the numerous false fire alarms in the dorms can impede student preparedness, as many students are less likely to leave the dorms in case of a real fire because they assume the alarm is simply a prank.
"False alarms are a disservice to everyone's effort and safety," Carter said in the e-mail. "It is university policy that all individuals must evacuate the building during an emergency/alarm, and this is enforced. Students who do not evacuate the building or attempt to remain in a building during an emergency evacuation will face Judicial Affairs charges and sanctions."
Carter said that while there have been instances of students "smelling smoke," there have been no fires at AU in the past two years.
In September 2006, the House of Representatives passed House Resolution 295, which recognizes September as National Campus Fire Safety Month, according to a press release from the Center for Campus Fire Safety.
STOP, DROP AND ROLL OUT
If you encounter a fire, follow these procedures from the Public Safety Web site:
-Do not attempt to fight the fire yourself. -Leave the area immediately and close all doors behind you. -If the audible fire alarm has not been activated, pull the nearest fire alarm. -Evacuate the floor or building. -Go to the nearest phone and contact University Police at extension 3636. Make sure you tell the dispatcher the building name and department, the floor on which the fire is occurring and if there any injuries.
