Going to college is an exciting time for students and their parents. Living in a new “home away from home” not only gives young adults more freedom to make their own choices, but it also provides them an increased level of personal responsibility while at school. When it comes to on- and off-campus housing, it’s important for students and parents to keep fire safety top of mind.

September is Campus Fire Safety Month, and that's a great time to review best practices and put these practices into action. Whether you’re a fire safety professional or safety educator responsible for campus safety, a student or parent, NFPA and its partners provide a wealth of resources to help you get started. 

Campus Fire Safety for Students

NFPA and The Center for Campus Fire Safety work together to help raise awareness about the dangers of fires among college-aged students who live in on- and off- campus college housing. The campaign encourages students to know the risks including unattended cooking, candles, and the disabling of smoke alarms in rooms, and the preventative actions that can save their lives. Get more information and resources.
From NFPA Journal
NFPA Journal® dives into the increasing concerns surrounding campus fire safety. This includes active shooter incidents, on- and off-campus housing fires, and emerging technologies such as 3D printers and vaping, which have raised issues like disabled smoke alarms.
Read More

Resources

  • Campus fire safety tip sheet

    College campus fire safety

    Look for fully sprinklered housing when choosing a dorm or off-campus housing. Read all of NFPA's safety tips.
    Download

  • Fire safety checklist for students

    Use this simple fire safety checklist once you move into your campus housing.
    Download
  • Cooking safety tip sheet

    Cooking safety tip sheet

    By following a few safety tips you can prevent cooking fires in campus housing.
    Download

Campus fire safety by the numbers

  • From 2018 – 2022, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 3,331 structure fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities, and other related properties. These fires caused annual averages of 3 civilian deaths, 21 civilian injuries, and $21 million in direct property damage.
  • Approximately three out of four fires began in the kitchen or cooking area, accounting for 58 percent of the civilian injuries and 11 percent of the direct property damage. Cooking equipment was involved in nearly 8 out of 10 fires. Unattended equipment was the most common factor contributing to the ignition of these fires.
  • Saturday and Sunday were the peak days for these fires. However, fires that occurred on Mondays accounted for a larger share of injuries.
  • The peak time of day for these fires in dormitory-type properties was between 4 p.m. and midnight when over half of the fires occurred. Fires were least likely to occur between midnight and 8 a.m.
  • February, September, and October were the peak months for fires in dormitory-type properties.
  • See the full report, "Fires in Dormitory-Type Properties."

Source: NFPA Research

Cooking Safety
While students are on campus campus, many of them will be preparing their own meals. Some will be using kitchen appliances for the first time or cooking food after coming home late from studying or a party. NFPA provides several resources to help students stay safe during mealtimes.
Learn More
College kids eating food
Safety With Lithium-Ion Batteries
September signals back to school time and homework! Spread the word about lithium-ion battery safety; support our students by giving them the information they need to keep themselves and their computers, tablets, smartphones, and other devices safer during the academic year. 
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College student in her dorm with a laptop and a phone

E-bikes and E-scooters

E-bikes and e-scooters are a low-cost and environmentally friendly way of getting around college campuses. But there are also fire hazards associated with the lithium-ion batteries that power them. Help students stay safe, learning the proper way to use, store, and charge micromobility devices and lower the risk of fires.

Learn More

 

Report a Battery Fire

Having data on micromobility/lithium-ion battery fires is a resource campus fire safety professionals can use to assist in the development of educational programs, policies/procedures, and advocacy efforts. To obtain this data, the Center for Campus Fire Safety has a data reporting system open to all colleges/universities, fire departments, and state and local code fire/code enforcement agencies.

Learn more and provide your information.

Campus Safety Videos

Check out these videos created by former students at the University of New Haven, CT Fire Science Club, to learn more about safety practices on campus.

 

Podcast

On January 19, 2000, Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, then 18- year- old freshman roommates at Seton Hall University, were severely burned when the residence hall they lived in caught fire. The blaze, one of the worst at a college campus in US history, killed three students and injured more than 50 others. Hear Shawn and Alvaro’s story, and what they want parents, students, and first responders to know about student safety on campus.