By Ariana Magafas
The clock reads midnight and it has been a long day of studying for an exam. The satisfaction of climbing into bed and finally going to sleep is about to be fulfilled.
“RING!”
Strobe lights flash in the dorm room and a woman’s voice from the speakers orders everyone to evacuate the building.
The fire alarm went off.
According to the Saint Louis University 2021 Annual Fire and Security Report, “each semester the Facilities Department, Housing & Residential Life and DPS work together to conduct fire drills at the residence halls.”
“We try to solve the alarms within two minutes,” Mike Parkinson, Clery Compliance Officer for the SLU Department of Public Safety, said. “The drills happen at the start of each semester for each residence hall and take place between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m.”
However, there are times where the fire alarm has gone off in the middle of the night, especially at Grand Hall.
“One time the fire alarm went off three times in one night. The first one went off at 1 a.m. and the last one went off at 3 a.m.,” Sophie Collins, a sophomore aerospace engineering major said. “If fire alarms go off one time, they’re more than likely going to go off again in the same night. It would be a miracle if Grand didn’t have multiple fire alarms within a semester.”
Parkinson said that one of his goals is for students to have well-rounded experience with fire safety. According to the SLU 2021 Annual Fire and Security Report, in order to be more proactive with fire training, “during the first week of school, students living in university housing meet with their residence hall assistants or professional staff personnel. During that initial meeting, they are told what actions to take during a fire, where the exits are located, and where the reunification areas are for each area.”
“When a fire alarm goes off, the RA at the front desk is responsible for calling DPS and making sure everyone has evacuated the building,” Savannah Baker, a sophomore flight science major, who is an RA at Grand Hall this year, said. “RAs must let DPS know if there are any individuals who need assistance evacuating the building.”
According to the SLU 2021 Annual Fire and Security Report, each residence hall has specific evacuation gathering sites, such as the DuBourg Hall Field for Grand Hall.
“Steam from showers, popcorn, and burnt food are most likely the causes of fire alarms at Grand,” Parkinson said. “The most important thing is evacuating and not taking the alarm for being false.”
According to the SLU 2021 Annual Fire and Security Report, students are not allowed to have “open flame or open element devices (including, but not limited to, candles-wick or no wick, incense, George Forman grills, toasters, toaster ovens, barbeque grills, etc.)” or “multiple extension cords.”
“Just from my experience, I have seen three fires in residence halls and they are mostly electrical related. One student put a chair on their extension cord and it got pinched and started a small fire.” Parkinson said.
According to the SLU 2021 Annual Fire and Security Report, when students report a fire, they must “immediately evacuate the building, sound the alarm if it isn’t activated, dial 911 and advise the dispatcher of the situation. In the event the fire has been extinguished, you should contact DPS to make them aware of the incident.”
“To prevent a fire you just have to have common sense and practice safe habits,” Parkinson said. “Along with avoiding certain kinds of appliances, definitely make sure you know how to use a fire extinguisher and know how to put out a grease fire if cooking in a residence hall. Here’s a tip--don’t use water.”
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