Business and Administration

Auburn University’s Campus Fire Safety Month (CFSM) is an annual university event during the month of September that coincides with the National Campus Fire Safety Month, which is an initiative founded by the Center for Campus Fire Safety to raise fire and life safety awareness on campuses. The CFSM at Auburn University is hosted by Risk Management & Safety’s Fire Safety Program, and the inaugural event was held in 2016. The goal of the event is to help students have a greater awareness of the dangers of dormitory, residence hall and/or off-campus housing-related fires, and the steps they can take to prevent them or, if need be, survive them.

During the month of September, CFSM awareness activities are held on the Auburn University campus for each of the four weeks to kick off the start of the new school year with safety at the forefront. Students, faculty and staff are exposed to a wide variety of fire and life safety topics, tips, hands-on training opportunities and fun activities – some hosted in conjunction with other Auburn University units and/or local first responders and fire departments – throughout the month of September.

Why a month for Campus Fire Safety?

A local firefighter teaches an Auburn student the proper technique for putting out a fire during the 2016 Campus Fire Safety Month ‘Fire Department Day & Student Challenge.’

According to the Center for Campus Fire Safety, August and September are the worst times of year for fatal campus-related housing fires. Many students, possibly living away from home for the first time in their lives, do not realize how quickly a fire can occur, and most have not received fire safety education since elementary school. With the freedom to make their own choices for the first time, many students find an increased level of personal responsibility while at school. Despite the excitement of beginning college, students – and their parents – should try to keep fire safety top of mind. Consider these facts from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):

• From 2000 to 2015, 89 fires that killed 126 people occurred on college campuses, in Greek housing or in off-campus housing within three miles of the campus. Of these:
  • 76 off-campus fires caused 107 deaths
  • 7 on-campus building or residence hall fires claimed 9 victims
  • 6 fires in Greek housing took the lives of 10 people

The NFPA reports these are the top causes of fires:

• Cooking / Cooking equipment
• Smoking
• Heating, such as space heaters
• Candles
• Electrical
• Arson