|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||||
|
|
|
Fire safety demo held for students
4:47 p.m., Sept. 29, 2006--Students at the Christiana Commons learned how to extinguish a stovetop fire in a demonstration for National Campus Fire Safety Month on Thursday, Sept. 28. Dressed in a firefighter uniform, Jeff Work, fire protection technician for UD's Occupational Health and Safety Department, poured a flammable liquid in a frying pan and lit it. As Billy Joel's “We Didn't Start the Fire” played, Work and Kevin McSweeney, fire protection engineer for occupational health and safety, instructed students on how to put out the fire with the pan's lid. Work, a volunteer firefighter, said they were trying to come up with different ways to interact with students. “Common fire occurrences are caused by unattended cooking,” he said. “Just teaching them to put the lid down helps get them to understand about fire safety.” Work said putting a lid down on a pan will deprive the fire of oxygen and extinguish the flames. Cathy Skelley, assistant director of community standards in the Office of Residence Life, said the stovetop demonstration addressed some of the problems they have seen on Laird Campus with regards to fire safety. “I think students get really concerned about using a fire extinguisher,” she said. “With this demonstration, even just one or two get the chance to see how easy it is to put a fire out.” Skelley, McSweeney, graduate assistant Emily Smith and Work visited four dining halls and the Trabant University Center in September to distribute information about fire safety. The group showed a video in Rodney Dining Hall and handed out a room safety self-assessment so students could check the fire safety of their own rooms. “Although all our residence halls are equipped with smoke detectors and sprinklers, it is important to reduce the risk of a fire,” Skelley said. “Our residents should still be aware of hazards and prohibited items such as extension cords, overloading circuits, storing flammable material and tampering with fire equipment.” Monika Menuau, CHEP '08, was one of the first students to extinguish one of the stovetop fires. She said she feels these demonstrations are important for students. “A lot of people just panic and throw things like water and make the fire worse,” Menuau said. McSweeney, who used to teach fire prevention in the U.S. Air Force, said they will plan a budget for next year so that elementary schools can come on campus and learn about fire safety. “I hope students build confidence to handle fires,” he said. McSweeney said he will be teaching and handing out giveaways for National Fire Prevention Week beginning Oct. 4 at the Early Learning Center. Freshman Jon Banker said he knew how to extinguish a fire with a pan lid but still enjoyed the demonstration. “It was just kind of fun to do,” he said. Skelley said they have enjoyed talking with students and plan to continue promoting fire safety. “Our goal is to have every resident think about what is in their own room, as well as consider the safety of all those around them,” Skelley said. “Residents need to know the decisions they make about their own living space can effects hundreds of other residents.” Article by Julia Parmley, AS '07 |
|
|
