Sarah Lawrence College’s Annual Fire Safety Report

Sarah Lawrence College publishes this fire safety report as part of its annual federal requirements. It contains information with respect to the fire safety practices and standards of Sarah Lawrence College. This report includes fire statistics and a description of the fire safety system for each on-campus student housing facility. If you have any questions about the report or fire safety at Sarah Lawrence College, please call the SLC Fire Safety Director Bob Goldstein at (914) 395-2559.

Fire Safety Procedures and Regulations

The College campus is a unique community. We live in close quarters, sharing various spaces. Our living environment affects many of the choices we make about living habits as well as the impact of those choices on the community members around us. Nowhere is the shared responsibility for a safe and healthy community more important than in the area of fire safety and prevention. To this end, the College’s Fire Procedures and Safety Regulations stem from the belief that each member of the community must work to ensure the fire safety of all. Each member of the community is responsible for knowing and following the procedures and safety regulations set forth in this policy. Violations of the policy will result in disciplinary action.

What to Do in Case of a Fire

If you discover or suspect a fire, pull the building fire alarm if it is on your way out of the building. As you leave, warn other occupants by knocking on doors and shouting a warning on your way out. Evacuate the building and notify emergency personnel from a safe location. Call 911 first, then (914) 395-2222. Give as much information as possible: the name of the building, the location of the fire, your name, and a call-back number. You should stay on the phone until the dispatcher hangs up. Do not assume someone else has called.

If you hear a fire alarm, evacuate the building immediately. Stay low to the floor if smoke is present. Before opening a door, feel the knob. If it is hot, do not open the door. If the knob is not hot, brace yourself against the door and open it slightly. (Fire can create pressure enough to open a door if it is not held firmly.) If heat or heavy smoke is present in the corridor, close the door and stay in the room. When opening the door, stay below the level of the door handle and off to the side. If you cannot leave the room, keep the door closed and open the windows. If the windows can be raised and lowered, open the top slightly to let out heat and smoke; open the bottom slightly to let in fresh air. Seal the cracks around the door with clothing or other material, soaked in water if available. To attract attention, hang an object out the window, such as a shirt, jacket, or towel. Shout for help. Do not jump from windows above the first floor. If you can leave the room, close all doors behind you as you exit. This will slow the spread of smoke and lessen damage. Go to the nearest exit or stairway. Do not use an elevator. If the nearest exit is blocked by smoke, heat, or fire, go to an alternate exit. If all exits from the floor are blocked, go back to a remote room, close the door, open the windows, and follow the procedure described above. After leaving the building, move away from the building to ensure your safety and allow emergency personnel and equipment to enter and maneuver around the building. Follow the directions of fire, police, and College personnel, and try to get to assigned assembly locations if feasible. Students, faculty, and staff must vacate any building when an alarm sounds. Fire drills will be held periodically throughout the year. Any student who fails to leave a building/area during a fire alarm is subject to disciplinary action and a $50 fine.

If a member of the SLC community finds evidence of a fire that has been extinguished, and the person is not sure whether the College’s security department has already responded, the community member should immediately notify Westlands Desk to investigate and document the incident. The fire alarms alert community members of potential hazards, and community members are required to heed their warning and evacuate buildings immediately upon hearing a fire alarm in a facility. Security personnel can levy fines and penalties to individuals who fail to evacuate a building promptly—but a more important reason for evacuating is for safety reasons.