Fire Safety

Fire Safety

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Fire Safety Policies

In order to minimize the potential for fires at university student housing facilities, and place the safety of all residents and guests first, the following items are prohibited inside any residence facilities, including the apartments/rooms within: 

  • Barbeque grills, hibachis, smokers (open-flame stoves/cooking devices), and other related accessories including lighter fluids and similar types of products. 
  • Fireworks or explosive materials, whether factory or homemade. 
  • Flammable liquids and other similar materials, including but not limited to turpentine, shellacs, varnishes, etc. 
  • Gas engines. 
  • Halogen lamps, sometimes called torchieres. 
  • Hoverboards, mopeds, motorcycles, electric bikes, battery chargers for transportation equipment and other similar vehicles. 
  • Live Christmas trees or non-fire-retardant artificial Christmas trees. 
  • Smoking anywhere inside the building, unit, or apartment. 
  • Portable space heaters. 
  • Tanning beds. 

For a complete list of fire safety policies, please visit: https://inlocc.iu.edu/policies/index.html 

Campus-Specific Prohibited Items

In addition to the list above, the following items are prohibited in all residence facilities, including the apartments/rooms within for specific campuses: 

IU Indianapolis

—Additional Prohibited Items

  • Ceiling fans 
  • Electronic cigarettes, vaporizing devices, or items designed or altered for the use of illegal drugs 
  • Fog machines 
  • Hookah 
  • Lofts/Loft kits 

IU Southeast

—Additional Prohibited Items

  • Ceiling fans 
  • Deep fryers 
  • Electrical power strips without circuit breakers 
  • Fog machines 

Additional Safety Requirements

The charred remains of a power strip with four partially melted plugs still plugged in sit on the black remains of an apartment carpeting next to a desk.

Some additional fire safety requirements include, but are not limited to: 

  • Avoid the use of extension cords. 
  • Never prop open fire-rated doors. 
  • Do not cover your apartment door with wrapping paper or other flammable materials. Do not hang decorations from the ceiling, sprinkler or fire strobe systems. Do not hang decorations from patios and balconies, or any location which may obstruct visibility in windows. 
  • Do not use charcoal grills inside apartments, on balconies, or any place smoke may enter the building. Never empty hot coal ashes into trash bins.  
  • Other items that are identified as posing health or safety risks to the campus community, may be prohibited at your campus residential facility. Check with your RA or Community Advisor for additional information. 

Residential Safety Considerations

IU Bloomington Housing

The only permitted electrical appliances in apartment housing must be the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed, equipped with thermostatic controls, and rated at 700 watts (6 amps) or less. Such electrical items include extension cords and outlet strips. You may use type "S", "SJ", or 14–gauge wire. Extension cords, surge protectors, and using LCDI technology, such as FireShield®, are strongly recommended. 

IU Fort Wayne

Please refer to the Purdue University Fort Wayne Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.  Also contained under Appendix D. 

IU South Bend Housing

Park grills are placed around the units for resident use. Residents are encouraged to purchase charcoal and lighter fluid intended for one time use or store said items in the trunk of their car. Residents may not keep grills within the apartment or on patios or balconies. Fire safety procedures are located here: https://southbend.iu.edu/housing/families-and-guests/Residence%20Hall%20Policies%20and%20 -Procedures.pdf . See your RA for specific fire evacuation instructions. 

IU Southeast Housing

Each lodge is equipped with a functioning gas-log fireplace. Extreme care should be exercised when using the fireplace. Residents using the fireplace are responsible for keeping the glass doors or screens open while the fire is burning and closing them when finished. Foreign objects or materials may not be placed into the fireplace at any time. If a resident is found misusing or abusing the fireplace, they may be subject to disciplinary action. 

Special Events

Two flamenco dancers tap their feet and swirl their colorful red flowered full long skirts at the IUB Culture Fest.

Special events, inside or out, must receive an Amusement & Entertainment Permit from Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office before approval to hold the event is granted by the university. See:  

https://inlocc.iu.edu/policies/entertainment-permits.html. 

Future Fire Safety Improvements

All campuses with residential facilities will have the addition of NFPA 13 compliant fire suppression systems and the replacement of non-voice fire alarm systems throughout as buildings and units are refurbished. 

Tests, Drills, and Exercises

Three IU Bloomington students exit the smoke filled hallway of the Great Escape event and are directed down the stairwell.

Announced and/or unannounced drills are scheduled and executed annually to test evacuation and emergency procedures. Drills are an important exercise in ensuring safe behavior should an actual emergency occur.  

Although the number may vary, in most instances, there is one evacuation fire drill each Fall and Spring semester for campus residential facilities and three evacuation fire drills from September 1 to August 31 for year-round housing units. There are typically four or five evacuation fire drills in total per year.  

An announced test of the IU Notify emergency notification system is conducted at least once per calendar year. This test also publicizes the https://protect.iu.edu website, which contains information about emergency procedures.  

Each test, drill, and exercise is designed to evaluate IU’s emergency plans and capabilities and is documented in writing. The documentation includes a description of the test/drill/exercise, the date held, the time started and ended, whether the test/drill/exercise was announced or unannounced and includes any follow-through activities designed for assessment and evaluation of emergency plans and capabilities. Data on IU’s tests, drills, and exercises is maintained by IU’s office of Emergency Management and Continuity and Insurance, Loss, Control, and Claims (INLOCC). INLOCC maintains documentation surrounding fire drills.

For data on IU Fort Wayne, please refer to the Purdue University Fort Wayne Annual Security and Fire Safety Report  contained under 

Appendix D.