AUDIENCE NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENT
The State Fire Prevention Code "Audience Notification" requires that
the following be complied with at the start of each performance, address,
play, movie, dance, exhibition or any other gathering of more than
50 people.
(a) It shall be the duty of the person
in charge of any theatre or place of public assembly to call the attention
of those present, immediately before the beginning of the performance,
address, play, movie, dance, exhibition or other matter of proceedings
for which people are assembled, to the number and location of several
exits in the building or hall, and to state that the doors to all
exits are unlocked. Before making the announcement, it shall be the
duty of the person to make an actual inspection to verify the fact,
or to see that the doors are unlocked.
(b) It shall be the duty of the person
in charge of every public or private assembly to call the attention
of everyone present at a performance, address, play, movie, dance,
exhibition or other matter of proceeding to the exits by displaying
or announcing the following:
NOTICE:
For your own safety, look for your nearest exit, in case of emergency,
walk, do not run, to that exit.
(c) The requirement for calling the
attention of everyone present in any public or private assembly of
more than 50 people to the exits shall be considered complied with
by one of the following methods:
- Oral announcement of the above notice from stage,
platform, or floor at the beginning of every performance, address,
play, dance, movie, exhibition, contest or other matter of proceedings.
- Showing the above notice on the cinema screen
where moving or stereopticon pictures are shown.
- Printing the above notice in bold type letters
not less than one-fourth inch in height on the back of programs
for any performances, matters or other proceedings. Nothing but
the notice shall be placed on the back of the program.
- Having a fixed sign or signs displaying the above
notice printed in letters of a size and clearness that can be easily
read from any and every point in the assembly room.
If you have any questions, please contact the Safety
Office at x4897.
FIRE SAFETY
The University community must be constantly aware of the possibility
of fire and fire related problems. Because of the concentrated use
of University facilities, a fire incident on campus could threaten
the lives of many people.
Frostburg State University complies with the State
of Maryland Fire Prevention Code and the National Fire Protection
Association Life Safety Code 101. Questions regarding their application
to campus situations should be addressed first to the Office of Human
Resources Safety Office. If further interpretation is required, the
Office of Human Resources Safety Office will consult the Office of
the State Fire Marshall. Listed below are the primary fire safety
rules, regulations and procedures:
IF THERE IS A WORKING FIRE
- Sound the Alarm
If you discover or suspect a fire, sound the building fire alarm.
The Jenkins house and the Fuller House are the only campus buildings
that do not have a complete fire alarm system. These two facilities
are equipped with overhead smoke detectors. Employees in those buildings
should alert fellow employees orally when the detector is activated.
If conditions permit, report the fire to University Police at x4222.
- Leave the Building Immediately
Walk; do not run, to the nearest exit. Go to a safe area 300 feet
or more from the building. Do not stand in roadways or otherwise
interfere with fire personnel. Do not go back into the building
until university police announce "all clear." Assist any handicapped
individuals as you evacuate the building. When evacuating the building,
close doors and windows only if your personal safety will not be
jeopardized.
- Report the Fire
From a safe location, dial x4222 to report the fire to University
Police. When calling from somewhere other than the building that
is burning, give as much information as possible and stay on the
line until the dispatcher tells you to hang up. Be prepared to give
the exact location of the fire and what is burning.
TO SURVIVE A BUILDING FIRE
- Crawl, if there is smoke.
If you get caught in smoke, get down on the floor and crawl. Hot,
smoke-filled air rises and cooler, cleaner air will be near the
floor.
- Feel doors before opening.
If the doorknob or the door itself is hot, do not open it. If the
door or knob is cool, brace yourself against the door and open it
slightly. If heat or smoke is present, close the door and remain
in the room or seek an alternate exit.
- Go to the nearest clear exit or stairway.
If the nearest exit or stairway is blocked by smoke, go to an alternate.
NEVER USE THE ELEVATOR, which may deliver you to the scene of the
fire or trap you. Close as many doors as possible as you leave,
to help confine the fire.
- Don't attempt to fight the fire UNLESS:
a. the fire is very small (no bigger than wastebasket size)
b. you know how to select and use a portable fire extinguisher
c. you have an unblocked escape route
IF YOU GET TRAPPED
- Keep the doors closed.
Seal vents and the cracks around the doors to keep smoke out. Use
duct tape or a wet cloth, if available. If you are trapped in a
sealed room, and there does not appear to be exterior smoke, open
the window.
- Signal for help.
Hang an object out the window (bed sheet, jacket, etc.) to attract
the attention of the fire department. If there is a telephone, call
university police at x4222. Give your exact location; e.g., floor,
room number, what side of building. Wait for rescue by the fire
department. In virtually every case, it is unwise to consider jumping.
IF YOU ARE ON FIRE
- Stop, drop and roll.
Wherever you are, immediately fall to the ground and roll to smother
the fire. Do not run. If you see someone whose clothes are on fire,
extinguish the flames with a portable fire extinguisher, blanket,
rug or coat.
- Cool the burn.
Use cool tap water on burns immediately. Do not use ointments, butter,
etc. Call an ambulance.
PARTICIPATE IN FIRE EVACUATION DRILLS
Fire drills are conducted in all campus administrative
and academic buildings twice yearly. Drills are conducted in residence
facilities twice in the fall semester and once in the spring semester.
Drills are designed to familiarize you with the sound of the fire
alarm, to show you alternate exits and to reinforce procedures and
behaviors. Evacuate the building immediately at the sound of the alarm.
PRACTICE FIRE PREVENTION AT YOUR WORK PLACE
- Be careful with smoking materials. Smoking as
defined herein is smoking or carrying lighted tobacco products.
Smoking shall not be permitted in any University academic or administrative
buildings, enclosed facilities, automobiles, buses, vans or trucks.
FSU campus will continue to be a healthy smoke-free environment
for all employees.
- Be careful with electricity. Use only U.L. listed
appliances. Never leave heat generating equipment unattended, especially
cooking equipment. Do not overload outlets or use equipment with
frayed or damaged cords. Do not run electrical wires under carpeting.
- Keep exits and hallways clear at all times. Storage
of bicycles, chairs, desks, or other furniture items is prohibited
in all corridors, stairways and exit ways. Blocked exits or narrowed
hallways can cause "chain reaction" pileups of evacuating people
during an emergency.
- Dispose of combustible wastes promptly. Dispose
of all combustible wastes (newsprint, cardboard, and like material)
as soon as possible. Use metal or UL Approved trashcans. Paper being
saved for recycling, etc., must not be stored within three feet
of any heating, electrical or telephone panel.
- Limit storage of flammable liquids and hazardous
materials. Storage of gasoline, ether, paint, glue, corrosives and
other hazardous materials is limited to specific quantities and
containers. Since there are programmatic considerations involved,
the Office of Human Resources Safety Office should be contacted
in individual instances.
- Don't use space heaters. The use of space heaters
for personal comfort is prohibited. Supervisory personnel are responsible
for seeing that this policy is adhered to. Exceptions to this policy
can only be made by the Director of Facilities.
- Limit use of open flame devices. No open flame
devices may be used without prior permission from the Office of
Human Resources Safety Office. Permission may be granted under controlled
conditions for religious or ceremonial purposes, for instruction,
for food service, or for necessary maintenance functions. Permission
will not be granted for decorative effects. Open flame devices must
never be left unattended.
- Report damaged life safety equipment. The Safety
Office, Residence Life and Physical Plant personnel inspect fire
safety equipment on a regular schedule. However, any damage that
is observed between inspections should be reported to University
Police immediately.
a. Fire doors - shall not be held open with a foreign object (e.g.,
soda cans, cardboard, stone) they should open and close completely.
Doors with closure hardware should close completely and automatically.
b. Exit signs - should be illuminated.
c. Smoke detectors - should be kept clear. There should be no obvious
defects and they should not be covered over with material.
d. Fire alarm systems - horns, bells and pull stations should be
accessible and free of obvious defects.
e. Fire extinguishers - report any missing or discharged portable
fire extinguishers.
- Persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities (even temporary disabilities) that impair
mobility must inform their supervisors so that assistance may be
rendered in the event of emergency evacuation. Hearing impaired
individuals should be informed individually of the existence of
an emergency. A sighted individual should guide visually impaired
persons to safety. Mobility impaired persons should not use elevators
in event of fire, but should seek refuge in an enclosed stair tower
or other smoke-proof enclosure. Co-workers must notify fire personnel
that there is someone in the stair tower.
The Office of Human Resources Safety Office requests
that all co-workers render reasonable assistance to each other in
the event of an emergency evacuation, as long as these actions do
not place anyone in further, unreasonable danger.
EVERY FIRE, NO MATTER HOW SMALL, MUST BE REPORTED
TO UNIVERSITY POLICE, EVEN IF THE FIRE HAS BEEN EXTINGUISHED.
PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS
Each facility at Frostburg State University has Fire and Life Protection
Equipment for the safety of the occupants. All facilities have Portable
Fire Extinguishers. They may differ in size, type, color and use.
There are three (3) basic types of portable fire extinguishers:
TYPE A - for fires that need a substance like water
to cool burning materials down below ignition level e.g. paper, cloth,
wood, rubber and plastic.
TYPE B - contains a chemical that will fight flammable
liquids, gasoline, diesel fuel, fuel oil, cooking oil and grease.
TYPE C - contains a chemical that will fight energized
electrical equipment fires, burning wires and cables and electrical
motor fires.
TYPE ABC - multi-purpose portable fire extinguishers
can be used on all three fires mentioned above.
REMEMBERING THE BASICS OF USING A FIRE EXTINGUISHER
If you are called on to use a portable fire extinguisher in fighting
a small fire, just think of the word P.A.S.S., Pull pin, Aim the hose
or nozzle at the flames, Squeeze the handle and Sweep the base of
the fire and evacuate the immediate area.
FIRE WATCH PROCEDURES
A fire watch is an individual assigned to walk around a residence
hall when the building fire alarm system is not functioning properly.
Procedures in this document will be immediately implemented
when any building fire alarm system is out of service for more than
one (1) hour and it is determined that the problem will persist after
normal work hours. Fire Watches, if required, will cover areas in
buildings that are affected by the fire alarm system outage or malfunction.
Fire Watches will continue until the fire alarm system has been repaired,
tested and returned to full service.
FSU personnel, in accordance with this procedure,
will staff a Fire Watch. The Office of Human Resources Safety Officer
will coordinate with the Director of Facilities, Director of Residence
Life and the University Police Chief to agree on the emergency. These
four individuals will agree on the appointment of a Fire Watch Staff
and the required period of time. The assigned individuals will be
given a portable hand-held air horn to notify occupants in case of
an emergency evacuation. A flashlight and a radio will be provided
by the University Police Department.
A thorough inspection of all public areas, mechanical
and electrical rooms, storage areas, closets, kitchens, laundry/trash
rooms and other high-risk areas in the affected areas of the building
must be conducted on the half hour. If there are any disabled faculty,
staff or residents in the affected areas of occupied buildings, the
person(s) conducting the Fire Watch will have a list, by name and
room number of those disabled individuals.
The Police Communications Officer at the University
Police Headquarters will maintain documentation of the Fire Watch.
The individual assigned to the Fire Watch will have continued radio
communications with the University Police. Radio communication with
the PCO will be accomplished every half hour. The Fire Watch will
report that the inspection of the building has been completed and
no hazard was noticed. The date and time will be recorded by the Communications
Officer.
The Fire Watch will be continuous from start time
3:30 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. in Residence Halls. Between the hours of
7:30 a.m. and 3:29 p.m. all building occupants will be notified of
the fire alarm system outage by electronic mail and signs will be
posted on each Fire Alarm Pull Box and Fire Door immediately when
Fire Alarm is found to be malfunctioning.
FIRE WATCH STAFF - FIRE EVACUATION PROCEDURES
In the event of any fire or smoke, the person performing the Fire
Watch must immediately notify the University Police at x4222 and notify
the building occupants to evacuate by activating the portable air
horn while traveling from floor to floor. Assist disabled occupants
in any way possible while warning the occupants of each floor. The
University Police will immediately notify Civil Defense at x9-911
and dispatch the Patrol Officer to assist in the notification and
evacuation of building occupants. The occupants will go directly to
the building designated area and await notification from the University
Police Officer.
THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS A SAFE AND ORDERLY EVACUATION
OF ALL BUILDING OCCUPANTS.
Facilities will be evacuated in the following manner:
§ University Police will assist the occupants in evacuating the building.
- Elevators are not to be used during an emergency.
- University Police will assist the Building Staff
to notify the occupants of the emergency.
- Disabled students will be given assistance during
the evacuation.
- Fire Department Personnel will assist anyone
that may need additional help to evacuate the building.
- Building Staff will relocate the evacuated occupants
to another facility as time and weather allow.
- Occupants will evacuate as quickly as possible
using the most direct and clear route.
- Building occupants will be notified immediately
when the fire alarm system has been repaired and functioning properly.
If you have any questions, contact University Police Headquarters
x4222, 24 hours a day.
NATURAL GAS LEAK/ODORS
The most obvious sign of a natural gas line leak is the smell. Natural
gas by itself is usually odorless, so gas companies add a distinctive
odor to gas. If you smell this telltale odor, don't use matches, electrical
switches or appliances. Alert your co-workers, but do not use the
fire alarm system to do so. Shut down any motorized equipment or other
source of electrical spark or ignition. Leave the building and call
University Police at x4222. Do not enter the building until University
Police or fire personnel give the "all clear".