Good afternoon,

Now that you’ve settled into your room a little, we wanted to reach out in concert with our partners in the Brown Fire Safety Office with some Campus Safety Information.

While we hope that emergency situations do not arise, we want to make sure that you and your fellow residents are prepared in the case of fire emergencies. It is important that you familiarize yourself with the guidance around Residence Hall Fire Safety. 

Students should be aware of the evacuation locations for their residence hall. If the fire alarm sounds in your residence hall it is imperative that you exit the building immediately using the closest exit possible and proceed to the evacuation location designated. Failure to do so could result in harm to yourself and fellow students. Additionally, failing to exit the building when the fire alarm sounds is a violation of the student code of conduct.

Some important things to know:

• Unattended cooking is the number one cause of fire alarms in residential settings. Always watch your cooking and don’t walk away. 

• Smoke and fire can develop in a matter of seconds. Respond quickly and calmly 

when the alarm sounds – exit the building and report to the evacuation location. If you 

do not know where your evacuation location is, it can be found on the EHS website. 

• Candles, incense and space heaters are not allowed in residential halls. 

• Cooking appliances, with the exception of University provided microwaves, are not 

allowed in rooms. 

• Don’t smoke anything in the building. Stay 35 feet away from entrances. 

• Do not prop doors open to stairwells or trash rooms. 

For buildings with fire escapes 

• Fire escapes shall not be used for storage or obstructed by plants, laundry or other items. 

• Fire escapes are to be used only in an emergency, when another means of egress is not available due to fire or smoke. 

Lastly, all students should be aware that in accordance with Rhode Island State Law the University conducts four fire drills per academic year. Two of these drills will have an obstructed egress. This practice is in an effort to ensure that students use the closest exit and not the exit they are used to using out of habit. 

We appreciate your attention to fire safety on campus.

Sincerely,

Residential Life and Fire Safety Offices