Don't take fire precautions lightly

It's 2 a.m. and you're standing outside in the freezing cold because somebody decided to pull the fire alarm.

Not only were you awakened from your warm, cozy bed, but you know there are dozens of people in your building who are still in theirs.

Just about everybody hates residence hall fire alarms, but they are an essential part of the precautions set in place to ensure our safety here on campus.

Recently, RHA has been holding mandatory fire safety training for the residents here at Buffalo State. I thought it was going to be just another boring lecture about following the rules, but I actually learned a lot of valuable information.

Think fires are a pretty rare occurrence? According to the U.S. Fire Administration, fires cause over 4,500 deaths and over 30,000 injuries in the United States every year. That's more than all natural disasters combined.

College residence halls, where you have a lot of people living close together, are a huge risk for fires. You don't need to look far for examples, either.

In 2005, a fire in Tower 3 destroyed the entire eighth floor, causing thousands of dollars in smoke and water damage on other floors as well. Luckily, students escaped the fireball and no one was seriously injured.

In 2000, however, two Seton Hall students decided to play a prank by setting a couch on fire. When the alarm sounded, the other residents, sick of leaving the building for frequent fire alarms earlier in the week, decided to ignore it and stay inside.

By the time they had realized it was a real emergency, the fire had spread so much and got so hot that as they were escaping, their clothes began to melt to their backs. Three students died and 58 more were seriously injured.

Incidents like these are tragic, but they don't have to happen to you. Here are some fire safety tips the fire instructor shared with us at the training:

·      When you hear the fire alarm, get out of the building as fast as you can. Every minute you waste is a minute the fire gets hotter and spreads farther.

·      Shut your door as you leave. Not only will this reduce the flow of oxygen to the flame, the doors in the residence halls are fireproof and will act as a barrier to protect your belongings.

·      If you encounter a flame, cover your mouth and resist the urge to breathe in. During a fire, room temperatures can reach upward of 600 degrees, which is hot enough to burn your lungs and cause you to suffocate.

·      Take the stairs when you are exiting the building. Elevators, like all machines, have a tendency to break down. The last thing you want is to be trapped in an elevator and surrounded by flames.

·      If you come across people who don't want to leave for a fire alarm, try to get them to come out with you. Yeah, they might be angry you pulled them out into the cold, but it could end up saving their life.

Brian Alexander can be reached by email at alexander.record@live.com.