Fire Safety

What to do in Case of Fire

 

Morningside Emergencies
Telephone: (212) 854-5555
Campus RolmPhones: x99 or
x4-5555


Medical Center Emergencies
Telephone: (212) 305-7979 or
(212) 305-8100
Campus phones: x5-7979 or
x5-8100


New York Fire Department
Telephone: 911


If you discover a fire, immediately pull the nearest fire alarm. There is a fire alarm box on every floor of most buildings on campus. Call the emergency number for your campus and report the fire to Public Safety, who will contact the Fire Department. If you are off campus, dial 911. Leave the building at once and stand by to direct emergency teams to the location of the fire. Be aware that transmitting a false alarm is a criminal offense that endangers the lives of both building occupants and emergency personnel. It is also an offense to prop open fire doors or to tamper in any way with alarm equipment, electromagnetic locks, or other safety and security devices or to block or obstruct paths of exits. If the fire is small and not spreading quickly and you have been appropriately trained, you may try to extinguish the fire yourself with the extinguishers located throughout all campus buildings, but only after you have sounded the fire alarm.

The University Fire Safety staff offers fire extinguisher training to various groups throughout the year. If you would like to receive such training, call the staff at (212) 854-6676 (Morningside) or (212) 305-6780 (Medical Center). If you are not completely certain about how to operate the extinguisher, do not attempt to put out a fire yourself. Leave the area, closing all doors behind you. University residence halls and many other buildings have automatic fire detection equipment that sounds an alarm and transmits it to Public Safety and to the Fire Department.

If you hear an alarm sounding in your building, do not assume that it is a drill or test. All building alarm systems are tested as required by law, but these tests are announced in advance. Treat every alarm as an emergency unless you have received advanced notification otherwise. If an alarm sounds, exit the building immediately. The alarm may be a pattern of gongs, a continuously ringing bell, or horns. Feel doors before opening them to be sure that there is no fire danger on the other side. If you must enter a smoke-filled room or hallway, cover your nose and mouth with a wet towel and crawl to the nearest exit, keeping your head near the floor. If you cannot get out of the building because of heat or smoke, stay in your room, shut the door and await assistance from the Fire Department. Stuff the crack under the door with sheets, clothes, or blankets and open the window. Call Public Safety to give your location and wave a brightly colored garment or towel from your window—the Fire Department will be looking for this sign.

If it is safe to leave your room, do so, and close the door behind you. Take your keys so that you can reenter your room if exit is not possible. Do not waste time collecting personal valuables. Never use an elevator during a fire emergency. Always use fire stairs. If you are injured or disabled, stay in your room and make your presence known to other occupants and to Public Safety by telephone. Emergency staff members will assist you in leaving the building.

 

Fire Safety Precautions

Keep doorways, corridors, and stairwells clear and unobstructed and keep fire doors closed. Make sure that all electrical appliances and cords are in good condition and UL approved. Do not overload electrical outlets. Use fuse-protected multi-outlet powerstrips and extension cords when necessary. Turn off all lights and electrical appliances when you leave your room, office, or apartment. Do not smoke in bed. Extinguish all smoking materials properly and thoroughly. Empty wastebaskets regularly, and do not store flammable substances in your room or apartment.

Candles and live holiday decorations, such as trees or wreaths, are not permitted in the residence halls without prior approval by the Fire Safety Office or the Housing Office. Artificial greens must have certificates of flame proofing. A CD-ROM from the Housing Office is distributed annually to all students who live in the residence halls. The disk contains information on fire protection, precautions, and regulations pertaining to residence hall buildings; all students must comply with the provisions of the disk.