cfw-off-campus-checklist

Revised 07.23.18 
 
 
Off-campus housing fire safety checklist 
 
Since 2000, 85% of college-related fire fatalities have happened in off-campus housing, where 
most students live. When looking for a place, consider these 10 items: 
 
Smoke Alarms 
☐ Are there smoke alarms in every bedroom, on every level of the building? 
☐ In most fatal fires, the smoke alarms are missing or disabled. Often, a reason for this 
is nuisance alarms caused by cooking. Photoelectric smoke alarms near the kitchen 
can help cut down on this.  What kind of smoke alarms do you have? 
Exits 
☐ Are there two ways out of every bedroom? Keep in mind the second way out may be 
a window. 
☐ If a window is the second way out, does it open? Is it blocked by an air conditioner? 
Can you climb out of it? Are there security bars on the window? 
☐ If the bedroom is on a second or third floor, do you have an escape ladder? These 
can be purchased online or in a home improvement store. 
☐ Is there a second way out of the house or unit? Every apartment must have two 
ways out. 
Automatic Fire Sprinklers 
☐ Is the building equipped with automatic fire sprinklers? This will increase your 
chances of surviving a fire significantly. 
Fire Causes 
☐ The leading cause of all home fires is cooking.  What condition is the stove in? 
☐ What about the electrical service? Are there enough outlets to handle today's 
electrical needs? 
☐ What about smoking? The leading cause of all fatal home fires is smoking, and a 
contributing factor in college-related fires is fires that start in upholstered furniture on 
porches and decks. 
 
There is a lot more to consider when looking for fire-safe housing, this is not a complete list. For 
more information on campus fire safety, visit  
• 
Campus Firewatch (www.campus-firewatch.com) 
• 
U.S. Fire Administration (www.ufsa.fema.gov) 
• 
National Fire Protection Association (www.nfpa.org) 
 
Campus Firewatch 
www.campus-firewatch.com | Facebook www.facebook.com/campusfirewatch | 
@campusfirewatch | ecomeau@campus-firewatch.com