Residence Hall Fire Safety
Higher Education Opportunity Act: Campus Fire Safety Annual Compliance Report
Overview
The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) became law in August 2008. It requires all United States academic institutions to produce an Annual Fire Safety Report outlining fire safety practices, standards and all fire-related on-campus statistics. The following public disclosure report details all information required by this law as it relates to Florida Tech.
The safety of all Florida Tech residents and employees is of the utmost importance to the university. In furtherance of this priority, working with our insurance companies and the Melbourne Fire Department all fire systems and alarms are tested quarterly and monitored 24 hours a day. The backup batteries on the smoke detectors are changed on a predetermined schedule.
Information on all fires that occur on campus is available on line. This information is also available in the Department of Security.
Residence Hall Fire Systems
Harris Village, Columbia Village: Smoke detectors in each room and common areas, and monitored sprinkler systems.
Southgate Apartments: Monitored smoke detectors in each apartment.
Roberts Hall, Evans Hall, Grissom Hall, Crawford Hall, Wood Hall, Shaw Hall and Brownlie Hall: Monitored smoke detectors in each room and common areas.
All locations meet city and state requirements for fire suppression systems, smoke detectors, and fire extinguisher placement.
All locations have pull stations and fire extinguishers.
All floors have fire department connections.
Harris Village has fire extinguishers in each kitchen.
Fire Safety Improvements And Upgrades
Florida Tech annually reviews the fire systems in our residence halls and will make upgrades, repairs, or revisions when problems are identified.
Residence Hall Fire Drills
Fire drills are held once a semester for each residence hall. Fire drills are mandatory supervised evacuations of a building for a fire and are scheduled with the Department of Security.
The supervised fire drill is scheduled within the first 3 weeks of the beginning of the semester.
Students who fail to leave the building during a fire drill are fined and the incident is turned over to the Dean of Students.
Fire Life Safety Education
Residence Life policy on fire safety procedures and evacuation from residence halls is in the student handbook and is discussed with residents when they move into the residence hall. In case of a fire, please sound the nearest fire alarm and evacuate the building.
Evacuation Procedures Are As Follows:
- Know the emergency routes from your room and hall.
- Check to see if your door is hot or has smoke around it. If so, stay in your room and wait to be evacuated by firefighters.
- Shut your door tightly when you leave.
- Exit your building and follow the directions of staff members.
- DO NOT remain in courtyards or near the buildings.
- Remain in designated locations until cleared for re-entry by either the RD or a member of the Residence Life staff acting on behalf of the RD or by public safety.