Fire Prevention
The Purdue University Fire Department's Fire Prevention division consists of a lieutenant and a fire prevention specialist. The purpose of the specialist position is to focus on educating diverse groups of students, faculty and staff on a variety of fire prevention and safety topics. The fire prevention staff conducts fire and life safety inspections, oversees the campus AED program and conducts fire drills for University Residences.
Why is Fire Prevention Needed?
From 2000 to 2021, 176 students have died in college campus fire deaths throughout the United States. Of those deaths, 86 percent started in off-campus housing, six percent in Greek housing, six percent in residences halls and one percent other locations.
How did these incidents happen?
- Careless disposal of smoking materials
- Impaired judgment from alcohol consumption
- Lack of automatic fire sprinkler system
- Fire overloads, candles, halogen lamps, unattended cooking and electrical overloads
- Fires originating on upholstered furniture on decks or porches
- Tampering with or ignoring fire alarms
- Not getting out when fire alarms are activated
- Missing or disabled smoke alarms