Publications and Policies > Fire Safety > Fire Safety in Residence Halls

Residence hall fires on university campuses are not uncommon. Miami University has been fortunate in avoiding a residence hall fire that has caused injury or serious damage. However, because the possibility for such fires exists, Miami has taken a number of precautions to protect the approximately 7,100 students who live in our 36 residence halls.

Equipment

• All residence halls are equipped with a fire alarm system. All alarm systems function and undergo rigorous testing and documentation each year. Fire safety specialists activate the alarm systems annually and inspect and clean the system components on an annual basis.
  
  
• All of Miami's residence halls will have state-of-the-art "smart" systems, which provide total smoke detection throughout a building—every janitor's closet, every room, every hallway, all common areas. Furthermore, the "smart" systems provide fire officials with an exact location (down to the room #) of the smoke's source.
  
  
• Fire extinguishers (ABC type) are located in residence halls and spaced in accordance with the Ohio Fire Code.
  
  
• All Miami residence hall rooms have flame-retardant mattresses and window shades. Public areas have carpets and drapery that meet maximum flammability standards. No Miami residence hall is more than four stories, and most are three stories.
  
  
• All residence halls are equipped with "Knox Security Key Boxes." These high security boxes contain building master keys for use by the firefighters who come into a residence hall. The boxes are opened by a key that is on each fire truck. The sub master keys in these "Knox Boxes" enable firefighters to quickly unlock all student room and building doors in order to maximize evacuation and rescue or to fight an active fire.
  
  

Education

• Miami's fire safety specialists offer smoke drills that coincide with a lecture on general fire safety. Specialists fill a corridor with "safe smoke" to simulate the disorientating effects of smoke in residence hall fire situations. Beginning in Fall 2002, this program became mandatory for first-year students.
  
  
• Miami has an unannounced fire drill program in all of its residence halls.
  
  

Restrictions

• Miami restricts the use of any item that produces an open flame or heating surface in residence hall student rooms. Candles, incense, and hot plates are among the restricted items.
  
  
• Miami discourages, but does not prohibit, the use of halogen lamps in residence hall sleeping rooms. The use of protective coverings on such lamps is strongly encouraged.
  
  
• Beginning in the fall of 2002, all residence halls became non-smoking. This includes all student rooms.