Fire and electrical safety

1. FIRE SAFETY

A. PROCEDURE FOR REPORTING A FIRE

(1) Once the dispatcher receives notification that a fire alarm has been activated, the dispatcher will ask the caller if the alarm was the result of someone activating a pull-box or if the alarm is the result of an automatic sensor. The dispatcher will further determine if there is active smoke or fire visible at the scene.

(2) The dispatcher will then immediately notify on-duty officers and the Fire Department of the alarm activation and if it was a pulled or an automatic sensor alarm and if smoke or fire is present at the scene. The dispatcher will not wait for confirmation from on-duty officers to notify the Fire Department, they will be notified immediately. The Fire Department should have already received the alarm activation, but these procedures will be followed to ensure they have been notified to respond.

(3) On-duty officers will respond to the scene and make an immediate assessment. If the officer can determine that there is not an immediate emergency, they will notify the dispatcher to notify the Fire Department. The Fire Department Shift Commander will continue their response immediately until determination that a possible emergency does not exist; the alarm will be considered a legitimate alarm, and the Fire Department will respond as such.

B. SAFETY EXIT DRILL

In accordance with the Tennessee State Fire Prevention and Arson Law, as contained in the Tennessee Code Annotated, all dormitories and other residence halls will conduct a fire drill at least once each month. All personnel in the building will take part in the fire drill and leave the building. During the drills the person responsible for causing the drill shall observe the actions of personnel.

C. FIRE SAFETY INSPECTIONS

The conducting of systematic inspections to locate and eliminate fire hazards is an indispensable element of the Fire and Safety Program.

D. PORTABLE FIRE-FIGHTING EQUIPMENT

(1) The Safety Officer will inspect, or cause to be inspected, all fire extinguishers.

(2) Extinguishers must be mounted so that there will be no accidental injury to personnel or interference with supplies or traffic movement.

(3) If any fire extinguishers are considered to be deficient or damaged, the Safety Officer will be notified in order that the necessary corrective measures may be taken.

(4) The Safety Officer is responsible for having the fire extinguishers recharged.

(5) There are approximately 650 fire extinguishers of various kinds presently in a sate of readiness on the campus. They are placed in strategic locations to ensure that adequate fire-fighting equipment is available to prevent small fires from developing into larger ones.

(6) Individuals who maliciously discharge extinguishers are not only endangering their own life safety, but are endangering the lives and property of others, and subject themselves to judicial punishments, suspension from school and dismissal (see Subject S: Deterrent Reward Program).

E. INSPECTING AND TESTING FIRE ALARMS/SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

In order to insure proper continuous operation of the fire alarm and automatic sprinkler systems, the Safety Officer will cause each system to be tested on a periodic basis. The testing will be performed during the hours that will cause the least amount of disruption to normal activity. Upon completion of each test the Fire Alarm Test Report or Sprinkler System Test Report will be filed in the Department of Public Safety office.

2. SMOKING REGULATIONS

A. Smoking is prohibited at all times in classrooms, lecture rooms, teaching laboratories, theaters, warehouses, attics, storage areas, elevators, library reading rooms and stacks, gymnasiums, shop and service areas where woodworking is in process, posted areas and any other areas where receptacles for discarding smoking materials are not available.

B. Smoking is permitted in designated smoking areas only.

3. FIRE OR EMERGENCY EVACUATION PROCEDURE

A. The building team leader will see that the evacuation plan for that building is posted in a conspicuous place on each floor.

B. When there is an alarm in a residence hall, every person (whether an employee or student) is to evacuate the building immediately.

(1) The elevator will not be used for evacuation.

(2) Evacuation applies every time the alarm sounds, regardless of the cause.

(3) With the sounding of the alarm the hall director, or his/her representative, is to notify the Department of Public Safety dispatcher at once by dialing extension 7777.

(4) A full report of the fire will be submitted immediately by the hall director, or his/her representative, and forwarded to the Department of Public Safety office.

4. FIRE DRILLS

A. Each residence hall will have one fire drill per month.

B. The dates and times for the fire drills will be selected by the hall director and the Department of Housing.

5. FALSE FIRE ALARMS

False fire alarms are illegal and can result in school suspension, criminal charges, and/or dismissal. (See Subject S: Deterrent Reward Program for more information.)

6. MAJOR FIRE PLAN

The Martin Fire Department will be called for a major fire. The on-duty sergeant for the Department of Public Safety will meet the fire truck at Lovelace Avenue and University Street and will direct the fire truck to the location of the fire. Command post and traffic direction will be dictated by the fire's location. If more on-duty officers are needed, the sergeant will activate the recall plan (Subject F: Appendix C).

7. FIRE SUPPRESSION EQUIPMENT

A. GENERAL

All fire fighting appliances will be in accordance with National Fire Protection Association regulations as applicable. Where local requirements are equal or superior to NFPA, then they may be applied.

B. PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

Portable fire extinguishers are designed to cope with fires of limited size.

C. MAINTENANCE

Portable extinguishers will be maintained in a fully charged and operable condition and kept in their designated places at all times when not in use.

8. INSPECTIONS

A. Extinguishers will be inspected monthly, or at more frequent intervals when circumstances require, to ensure they have not been activated or tampered with and to detect any obvious physical damage, corrosion, or other impairments.

B. Each extinguisher will have a durable tag securely attached to show the maintenance or recharge date and the initials, or signature, of the person who performs this service.

9. ELECTRICAL SAFETY

A. All in-house renovations are subject to the same codes as new construction. While there is not a program to upgrade older facilities on campus, certain conditions require grounding of circuits and such.