As students prepare to head back to school and college campuses reopen across the state,
the Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) is offering fire safety tips to help
prevent accidents in dorms, classrooms and offcampus housing.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than half of all dormitory
“As families prepare for the new school year, we urge everyone to make fire safety a priority,”
FASNY officials said. “Simple precautions can make a life-saving difference.”
1 E-Bike Safety
Store e-bikes, e-scooters, and batteries away from exit doors, and anything that can get hot or catch fire. Never store in hallways. It is best tostore these battery-powered devices and their batteries outside your home or any structures like a garage, if possible.
Always use the manufacturer’s cord and power adapter made specifically for the device. Do not leave devices plugged in and charging overnight or unattended for long periods of time. Avoid overcharging.
Keep batteries/devices atroom temperature and do not place them in direct sunlight. For your personalsafety, ALWAYS wear a helmet when operating an e-bike and stay VISIBLE.
2 Candles
Candle safety is incredibly important. Though banned in most dorm rooms and on college campuses, it is still important to be aware of the dangers that candles bring when lighting them. Always keep a burning candle within sight and never leave it unattended.
Be sure to never light a candle near flammable materials like curtains, paper and clothing. If a candle starts smoking or flickering excessively, it is time to extinguish it.
3 Fire Extinguishers
When checking off packing lists for college apartments, especially offcampus ones, ensure that you have at least one fire extinguisher within the apartment. It is key to keep one in the kitchen if there is an oven or stove fire. It is also important to make sure that there is one nearby in the case that there is an electrical fire, or laundry unit fire.
Keeping such a basic, but necessary tool, could save a student’s life.
4 Smoke Detectors
This reminder is extremely timely because unfortunately, according to the United States Fire
Administration, New York State ranks third in states with fire deaths throughout the country thus far in 2025. Two thirds of fire deaths occur in homes with either no smoke alarms or nonfunctioning smoke alarms. Smoke detectors provide an early warning of a threat and allow occupants precious extra minutes to evacuate their homes, which can be lifesaving.
5 Know where emergency exits are located
Practicing an escape plan will ensure that each person is as prepared as possible. Since most fatal fires happen between midnight and 8 a.m., it is important to be prepared before the emergency occurs. To help this process, once moving into the building, locate the closest
emergency exit and make yourself aware of the distance from door to door.
It is also very important to not block emergency exits or the hallways or routes that lead to them. Store extra items or things you aren’t currently using in a proper storage area in your
residence hall, apartment building or private home. Also consider renting an off-site storage unit to safely store these extra items during the semester.
For more safety and fire information go to fasnyny.com
