**[MODULE OVERVIEW:]{.underline}**

Evacuation is a critical but often neglected strategy in the college
environment. This module seeks to provide students with an increased
awareness relative to the danger of fire. Emphasis is placed upon the
student's behavior and decision-making pertaining to evacuation
procedures during a fire situation. Through case review, rapid
evacuation is presented as a tool that is all too often critical to
survival. As such this program should not be presented or constructed as
a definitive source of fire related instruction. Based on the limited
nature of this lesson plan it should be expanded and or adapted to
address local needs.

**[GENERAL DESCRIPTION:]{.underline}**

Living with Fire is a unique, student-centered project that seeks to
determine and address the needs of the student relating to the dangers
of fire in the college environment. As students, you must now be capable
of independently making the correct choices that affect your ability to
survive should a fire develop.

This program will establish a national source for college fire related
information and produce a series of new activities, events and
educational resources specific to the college student. If we are going
to make a difference and reduce the tragic effects of fire, we need your
candid conversation and honest input. During this focus group, please
provide as much input and discussion when responding to a question or
discussion. Your assistance will help us to create quality programs that
will save lives.

**[DISCLAIMER:]{.underline}**

This lesson plan may not address all of the issues, needs, requirements
and policies of your college or university. It's objective is to provide
a basis for the development of a lesson plan specific to your
institution. The instructor MUST evaluate the relevancy of the
information in this lesson plan to your local conditions and use it as a
resource to modify as necessary to address local needs.

**[INTERNET REFERENCE SOURCES:]{.underline}**

**American Cancer Society**

[**www.cancer.org**](http://www.cancer.org/)

**Campus Firewatch**

[**www.campus-firewatch.com**](http://www.campus-firewatch.com/)

**National Electric Manufacturers Association**

[**www.nema.org**](http://www.nema.org/)

**National Fire Sprinkler Association**

[**www.nfsa.org**](http://www.nfsa.org/)

**NFPA International**

[**www.nfpa.org**](http://www.nfpa.org/)

**SimplexGrinnell**

[**www.simplexgrinnell.com**](http://www.simplexgrinnell.com/)

**United States Fire Administration**

[**www.usfa.fema.gov**](http://www.usfa.fema.gov/)

**University of Texas System**

[**www.utsystem.edu**](http://www.utsystem.edu/)

**[INSTRUCTOR TIME GUIDE:]{.underline}**

**This lesson should not exceed fifty minutes inclusive of practical
activities.**

-   **20 minutes -- overview of the building features, need to evacuate
    and strategies for evacuation**

-   **20 minutes Video -- "Get out and Stay Alive"**

-   **15 minutes -- practical demonstration and student evacuation
    exercise**

Note: time for the practical exercise will depend on actual class size.
However, it should be noted that the students both remember and enjoy
this level of participation.

**[METHODS OF INSTRUCTION:]{.underline}**

-   **Lecture**

-   **Video presentation -- "Get out and Stay Alive"**

-   **Practical activity and demonstration**

**[RECOMMENDED MATERIALS, VISUAL AIDS & EQUIPMENT:]{.underline}**

-   **Computer for PowerPoint presentation**

-   **LCD projector**

-   **Projection Screen**

-   **PowerPoint presentation -- a customized presentation ca be
    developed using the photo library, video segments and incident
    information from the Living With Fire web site.**

-   **Examples of items destroyed by fire**

-   **Living With Fire student information bulletins**

-   **VCR**

-   **Video "Get Out and Stay Alive" available from the USFA
    (**[www.usfa.fema.gov](http://www.usfa.fema.gov/)**)**

-   **Statistics on fire losses available from the NFPA
    (**www.nfpa.org**)**

**[LEARNING OBJECTIVES:]{.underline}**

-   **Provide the student with an understanding of the risks of not
    evacuating when an alarm sounds.**

-   **Provide and overview of the proper behaviors when an alarm
    sounds.**

-   **Provide the student with the ability to apply evacuation
    strategies and navigate a smoke filled corridor.**

-   **Provide the student wit the proper steps to take when detecting a
    fire and or evacuating.**

-   **Expand the concept of evacuation from on-campus residence halls to
    off-campus residential housing**

+---------------------------+------------------------------------------+
| Students often have a     | ## Case Studies                          |
| perception "it won't      |                                          |
| happen to me"             | ##                                       |
|                           | ###  1. Chapel Hill, North Carolina -- M |
| Ask the students what are | ay 1996, 5 students killed in a fraterni |
| some reasons that they    | ty fire. A tragic fire at the University |
| would not evacuate when   |  of North Carolina killed five students. |
| the fire alarm sounds?    |                                          |
|                           | ##### A number of significant f          |
| Often students assume     | actors contributed to the deaths, includ |
| that a fire alarm is      | ing a lack of sprinklers, open central s |
| false                     | tairwells and a lack of an alarm system. |
|                           |                                          |
| Note -- during a recent   | 2\. Millikin University -- June 2000 --  |
| fatal fire at Seton Hall  | 1 student killed A fire occurred in an   |
| University a student was  | occupied fraternity at Millikin          |
| found after the fire      | University in Decatur, Illinois. The     |
| hiding in her closet. She | fire claimed the life of one male        |
| said that she often went  | student.                                 |
| into her closet to escape |                                          |
| the sound of the fire     | The building where the fire occurred was |
| alarm that disturbed her  | a three-story wood frame structure with  |
| sleep.                    | a brick veneer. It was about 60 to 70    |
|                           | years old, with a two-story addition     |
| Show a picture of an item | that was built in the late 1960's. The   |
| or an actual item of      | structure had originally been built as a |
| student property that was | house and was converted into a           |
| damaged in a fire on your | fraternity sometime in the past.         |
| campus.                   |                                          |
|                           | The building was not equipped with an    |
| Students often believe    | automatic fire sprinkler system.         |
| that all sprinkler heads  |                                          |
| activate when a fire is   | The building was equipped with single    |
| detected.                 | station, battery-powered smoke detectors |
|                           | in each of the residence rooms. These    |
| The key is to have a plan | detectors were replaced every year.      |
|                           |                                          |
| Students need to practice | There was a fire alarm system in the     |
| evacuation and have a     | building that would only sound a local   |
| predestinated meeting     | alarm. It was equipped with detection in |
| place                     | the common areas and not in the          |
|                           | individual rooms. It was reported that   |
| Once outside students     | at the time of the fire the alarm system |
| should report to a common | was functional, but the audible devices  |
| meeting place             | had been silenced.                       |
|                           |                                          |
| Students should look for  | At the time of the fire, there were 20   |
| exit signs and be aware   | people in the building.                  |
| of their surroundings as  |                                          |
| it is to late once a fire | It was reported that there were two      |
| starts                    | means of egress throughout the           |
|                           | structure. One was an interior stairwell |
| Having students move      | that extended to the third floor.        |
| through a simulated       | Another interior stairway extended two   |
| "smoke-filled" corridor   | floors. The second means of egress on    |
| is an exercise that will  | the third floor was onto an exterior     |
| impress upon them the     | deck where an exit ladder was located.   |
| importance of fire safety |                                          |
| as well as providing a    | The stair that extended to the third     |
| memorable experience. The | floor was connected to a common room on  |
| information provided in   | the third floor, which was the area of   |
| this lesson plan does not | origin for the fire. There was a door    |
| describe all of the       | between the stairway and the common      |
| logistics and             | room, but it was open at the time of the |
| arrangements that will be | fire. The door, which was a metal,       |
| needed to conduct this    | fire-rated door, was not equipped with   |
| exercise. The instructor  | an automatic door closer.                |
| should evaluate local     |                                          |
| conditions and modify as  | There were four residence rooms on the   |
| needed to conduct a safe  | third floor. Two of the rooms were       |
| evacuation exercise.      | immediately off the common area where    |
|                           | the fire occurred. One of the rooms was  |
| Care should be taken to   | equipped with a hollow-core door between |
| ensure that students with | it and the common room, while the other  |
| asthma or other           | had a solid wood door.                   |
| respiratory conditions    |                                          |
| are fully prepared for    | At the time of the fire, there were two  |
| this exercise.            | people in two separate rooms off the     |
|                           | common room on the third floor.          |
| A Student Awareness Fire  | Normally, there would be five occupants  |
| Education (SAFE) trailer  | living in this area.                     |
| or "The Great Escape      |                                          |
| should be utilized as the | The fire started in an upholstered chair |
| practical activity.       | in the common room. The cause of the     |
|                           | fire is officially undetermined, but     |
|                           | fire officials speculated that it might  |
|                           | have been started by careless disposal   |
|                           | of smoking materials. The chair was      |
|                           | located approximately eight feet from    |
|                           | the room equipped with the hollow core   |
|                           | door.                                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | The fire extended from the chair and     |
|                           | involved the contents in the common      |
|                           | room, blocking any possibility of egress |
|                           | from the two residence rooms.            |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | A passerby, who notified the fire        |
|                           | department, detected the fire. However,  |
|                           | this person did not know the exact       |
|                           | address. He/she pounded on the front     |
|                           | door of the fraternity to waken the      |
|                           | occupants, and then was able to notify   |
|                           | the fire department of the correct       |
|                           | address.                                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | The occupant in the room equipped with   |
|                           | the solid wood door was awakened when    |
|                           | the smoke detector in his room           |
|                           | activated. Using a cellular telephone,   |
|                           | he contacted the fire department and was |
|                           | in constant contact until the fire       |
|                           | fighters rescued him.                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | It is unclear what actions the person in |
|                           | the room with the hollow-core door took. |
|                           | He normally slept in the top bunk, and   |
|                           | he was found out of bed, approximately   |
|                           | six feet into the room. The door between |
|                           | the residence room and the common room   |
|                           | failed during the fire, letting smoke    |
|                           | and heat extend into the residence room. |
|                           | According to the fire department, the    |
|                           | fire was limited to the common room and  |
|                           | did not extend into the residence room   |
|                           | where the fatality occurred. The cause   |
|                           | of death was carbon monoxide poisoning.  |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 3\. University of Massachusetts --       |
|                           | October 2001 -- fraternity house         |
|                           | destroyed by fire. This fire, possibly   |
|                           | ignited by an unattended candle,         |
|                           | resulted in 23 students losing their     |
|                           | home and all of their possessions. The   |
|                           | alarm was delayed as the students had    |
|                           | taped bags around each smoke detector.   |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Common ignition scenarios             |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | # Arson -- the lead                      |
|                           | ing cause of fire in the college setting |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 1.  Candles                              |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 2.  Cooking                              |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 3.  Smoking materials                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ### Common factors                       |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | > 1\. Disabled smoke detectors           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 2.  Students become incapacitated due to |
|                           |     alcohol or drugs                     |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 3.  Smoking                              |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 4.  Candles                              |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 5.  Leaving Items unattended             |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Fail                                  |
|                           | ure to evacuate -- is the risk worth it? |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 1.  Often a students decision not to     |
|                           |     evacuate places students at          |
|                           |     increased risk from fire             |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 2.  False alarms contribute to a         |
|                           |     perception that students are not at  |
|                           |     great risk                           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 3.  Many student doubt that a fire could |
|                           |     involve them                         |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 4.  Statistics indicate approximately    |
|                           |     1,700 fires per year occur in the    |
|                           |     college environment                  |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 5.  Each year several students die from  |
|                           |     fire and smoke                       |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 6.  Smoke and fire gases' can kill       |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 7.  Fire grows quickly and students have |
|                           |     a limited window of time to get out  |
|                           |     -- several vide segments             |
|                           |     demonstrating rapid fire growth are  |
|                           |     available on the Living With Fire    |
|                           |     Web Site.                            |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 8.  Smoke kills not fire                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Overview of fire alarm systems        |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 9.  Fire alarm systems are designed to   |
|                           |     detect smoke, heat or be manually    |
|                           |     activated.                           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 10. New technology is reducing false     |
|                           |     alarms other than those caused by    |
|                           |     student actions                      |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Verification                     |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Cross zoning                     |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 11. False alarms vs. unwanted alarms     |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Overview of sprinkler systems         |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 12. Sprinkler systems are activated by   |
|                           |     heat                                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 13. Only the sprinkler heads that are    |
|                           |     heated by the fire activate          |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 14. Each head flows about 11 gallons per |
|                           |     minute vs. 150-200 GPM for a fire    |
|                           |     hose                                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 15. Sprinklers minimize the time to get  |
|                           |     water onto a fire and therefore      |
|                           |     reduce the size of the fire.         |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ##                                       |
|                           |  Evacuation strategies -- proper actions |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 16. Know two evacuation routes           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 17. Feels doors for heat                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 18. Sound building fire alarm or alert   |
|                           |     others                               |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 19. Avoid smoke filled areas             |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 20. If you need to traverse a smoke      |
|                           |     filled corridor crawl low where heat |
|                           |     is reduced and visibility is better. |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 21. Once outside, stay outside           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 22. If trapped call the fire department  |
|                           |     to indicate your location            |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 23. Keep door closed, go to a window and |
|                           |     signal for help                      |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 24. Each room should have an evacuation  |
|                           |     map posted                           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 25. Fire doors -- what they are and what |
|                           |     they do                              |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Video Presentation                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | > 1\. "Get out and Stay Alive 18         |
|                           | > Minutes"                               |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Practical Activity                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 26. Use a hallway for practical exercise |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 27. Fill the hallway with non-toxic      |
|                           |     smoke (theater smoke) to simulate    |
|                           |     the conditions that might be found   |
|                           |     in a fire                            |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 28. Ensure that there are sufficient     |
|                           |     instructors to assist the students   |
|                           |     through the corridor                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 29. Be prepared to assist any students   |
|                           |     that may show signs of distress,     |
|                           |     disorientation, etc.                 |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 30. Point to emphasize during the        |
|                           |     exercise include:                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Smoke and fire gases can kill    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   When you are exposed to smoke,   |
|                           |         carbon monoxide can deplete the  |
|                           |         oxygen and impair your judgment  |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Smoke kills the majority of      |
|                           |         people that die in fires         |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Describe smoke layering          |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Don't go through the smoke if    |
|                           |         you have an alternative such as  |
|                           |         another exit or to return to     |
|                           |         your room.                       |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Use known exits                  |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 31. Strategies to use in a smoke-filled  |
|                           |     environment:                         |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Enter                            |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Crawl Low in smoke               |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Feel for heat and exit doors     |
|                           |                                          |
|                           |     -   Assemble at a predestinated      |
|                           |         meeting place                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Building Construction Features        |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 1.  Compartmentation & pressurization    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 2.  Stair Towers                         |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 3.  Fire Doors                           |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 4.  Means of egress                      |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 5.  Sprinkler systems                    |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 6.  Fire alarm systems.                  |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | ## Questions?                            |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 32. Was this realistic                   |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 33. Do you feel this could happen to you |
|                           |                                          |
|                           | 34. If it did could you "Get out Alive?  |
+---------------------------+------------------------------------------+