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State
fire marshal kicks off 'Look Up!' campus fire safety campaign
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Safety
posters being offered to all colleges to encourage students to make
sure they have working smoke alarms in living quarters
[August 13, 2007]
SPRINGFIELD -- With students set
to return to college campuses within the next few weeks, State Fire
Marshal Dave Foreman recently kicked off the "Look Up!" fire safety
campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of working
smoke alarms in both on- and off-campus housing. Foreman joined
staff and students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
campus Thursday to begin putting up the safety posters around the
campus.
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"For many young adults, college is the first time they are living on
their own," said Foreman. "As they return to campus for the fall
semester, there's so much to think about -- getting books, finding
classrooms, meeting up with friends. We want them to put ‘check the
smoke alarm' on the top of that list. That quick check could save
their lives. We appreciate the efforts of staff here at the
University of Illinois in helping us get this important message to
students." More than 100 college students have died and many
others have been injured in college housing fires since 2000,
according to Campus Fire Watch.
Illinois law requires that working smoke alarms be placed within
15 feet of every sleeping area and that alarms be maintained in
working order.
Foreman said smoke alarms are a proven lifesaver. "Smoke alarms
have helped reduce deaths and injuries from fires by nearly 50
percent since the late 1970s," he said. "But a smoke alarm that has
been removed, has no batteries or has batteries that are dead, won't
do anything to save a life."
Through the "Look Up!" campaign, the Office of the State Fire
Marshal is offering free posters to colleges and universities
throughout Illinois. The posters remind students to "Look Up!" to
ensure their housing is equipped with smoke alarms and that the
alarms work.
The campaign was started by Kathleen Moritz, mother of Tanner "TJ"
Osborn, following his tragic death in an off-campus fire. Tanner and
two friends died in an apartment fire on June 7, 2005, in Chicago.
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 According to the National Fire Protection Association, 65 percent
of reported home fire deaths in 2000-2004 resulted from fires in
homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. Most smoke
alarms fail due to missing, disconnected or dead batteries.
Foreman urges students to replace batteries in smoke alarms
regularly, and he suggests doing so at the same time they move
clocks back in the fall and forward in the spring. He said students
should be aware that state law also requires carbon monoxide
detectors to be placed within 15 feet of every sleeping area.
Fire safety tips for students include the following:
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Make sure your
housing unit is equipped with a working smoke alarm within 15
feet of every sleeping area (this is the responsibility of the
building's owner) and that you test it monthly.
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Never leave candles
or incense burning unattended.
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Clean up trash and
debris after parties.
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Extinguish smoking
materials thoroughly.
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Do not smoke while
impaired or tired.
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Keep all space
heaters at least three feet away from furnishings.
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Do not overload
electrical outlets or power strips.
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Learn how to
properly use cooking appliances.
Staff from the Office of the State Fire Marshal will be notifying
colleges about the available posters. College personnel interested
in receiving the free posters may contact Jessica Blackford at
217-558-0324 or
Jessica.Blackford@illinois.gov.
[Text from
Office of the State Fire
Marshal news release received from
the
Illinois Office of
Communication and Information] |
