Safety Tips: Fires
Fires in the Halls
Small fires can turn into large fires. Fire is a serious life-threatening occurrence. You must be prepared in advance for the threat of fire. Have a good working knowledge of the following areas of safety before a fire occurs:
Prepare your emergency exit routes from your home, floor and workplace.
Observe and commit to memory where the exit points are located. Memorize locations without needing to see them (how many doors down is the exit?). Fire does not discriminate; the toxic smoke and gases from a fire will harm you before the fire actually arrives. You will become disoriented from the toxic smoke, during an actual fire emergency.
Pre-plan the locations of all fire extinguishers, fire alarm pull stations and fire hose cabinets.
Have a good working knowledge of their operational usage. Recognize and memorize the location of the fire protection equipment devices in your area. Report any missing or tampered-with fire protection equipment. Call the Fire Protection Division, EH&S at (310) 206-8680 or (310) 825-8674 with any unsafe conditions.
Emergency phone numbers should be posted in close proximity to all telephones.
The following phone numbers should be listed: Fire/ Police/Emergency Medical Services (EMS)/Telephone Number 911, the front desk number, your telephone number. Contact the Fire Protection Division, EH&S at (310) 206-8680 or (310) 825-8674 for additional information.
If a Fire Occurs
Fire Operational DO’s and DON’Ts
- Do evacuate all people from the immediate fire area.
- Do close all doors as you leave the area. This action will confine the fire problem in the immediate fire involved area. Most doors within the Residential Halls are designed for this.
- Do activate the nearest fire alarm pull station. An alarm bell will sound. The fire alarm internal code will be transmitted to the UCPD Communications Center.
- Do report the fire incident; never assume that the fire will be reported by someone else. You should notify the UCLA Communications Center about the fire, police, or medical problem. Dial 911, tell the dispatcher your name, location of the emergency, whether persons are trapped and any other information the dispatcher asks for.
- Do leave the fire area, by nearest stairway. Never exit the area by using the elevator. Always exit downwards before traveling up. Use the roof access as a last resort.
- Do stay low to the ground if there is an excess amount of smoke.
- Do assemble in the assigned, exterior area of the building. Never reenter the building until a fire department official or Resident Hall Director gives the all-clear message.
- Don’t exit the room, area or building until you have physically felt the top and bottom of the door. If the door is hot, or toxic smoke is entering the spaces around the door, do not exit. Keep the door closed, remain calm. Do not panic. Help is on the way.
- Don’t congregate in the stairways. Keep to the right, and travel until you are safely out of the building.
- Don’t arbitrarily break windows. Falling glass can be a serious hazard to persons below or firefighters.
If you should become trapped inside a burning building, follow these guidelines:
- Call the UCPD Communications Center (Dial 911) and notify the dispatcher of your exact location, they will advise the Los Angeles City Firefighters.
- If possible wet a blanket or similar item and place under the door opening (while the door is closed). This will keep the toxic smoke from entering the room and give firefighters a chance to rescue you.
- Open a window on the street side of the building (if possible). Hang a bright colored sheet or clothing out of the window. This will attract the firefighters and they will rescue you.
Fire Prevention Hazard Tips
- Aisles, corridors and other exit pathways must always remain clear of any obstruction.
- Storage of articles within the corridors, aisles, equipment rooms, under stairwells, rest rooms and over exit door ways is prohibited.
- Corridor doors are made to resist fire. These doors will slow down smoke and the fires progress. Do not wedge them open.
- Extension cords, ungrounded plugs, and multiple outlet adapters are prohibited. The use of multiple plug in electrical extension strip is permitted, when the strip is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) approved and when the strip has an in line circuit breaker.
- Smoking of any kind is not permitted within all University housing communities. In accordance with the UCLA Tobacco-Free Policy, the use of all tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco, as well as electronic cigarettes and any other type of smoking products, is prohibited on campus and at properties owned or leased by UCLA.