Fire Safety in Housing

Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims

Fire Safety in Housing Units

On–campus housing is found on four campuses: IUB, IUPUI, IUS and IUSB with rental houses providing additional housing opportunities at IUB.

Fire Safety

Some recommendations — and, in some cases, rules — apply to all campuses:

In addition, each campus has specific regulations. Below are links to their web pages and a summary of the various regulations. Refer to each campus’s handbook for specific regulations.

IUB: RPS ~ Your Obligations .

IUPUI: Residential Handbook

IUSB: Residence Hall Policies and Procedures

IUS: Housing Policies & Standards

Prohibited: Candles (lit or unlit) or any other appliances that make on open flame or have exposed heating elements are prohibited in all residential facilities.
Prohibited: Burning incense.
Prohibited: Hookah
Prohibited: Flammable liquids and other similar materials, including paints, shellacs, and varnishes, turpentine and other solvents or combustible liquids or compounds.
Prohibited: Gas engines (stored inside buildings).
Prohibited: Halogen lamps — sometimes called torchieres (including neon lights and black lights) — and lava lamps.
Prohibited: Electrical power strips without circuit breakers
Avoid the use of extension cords
Prohibited (inside): Hoverboards, mopeds, motorcycles, and other similar vehicles.
Prohibited: Open–flame stoves. (Sterno cookers, grills, fondue pots, candles, deep fryers, etc.)
No smoking allowed anywhere in the building;
Never prop open fire rated doors.
Prohibited: Tanning beds.
In addition, you may not cover your apartment door with wrapping paper or other flammable materials.
The only permitted electrical appliances in apartment housing must be the Underwriters Laboratory (UL) listed, equipped with thermostatic controls, and rated at 700 watts (6 amps) or less. Such electrical items include extension cords and outlet strips. You may use type “S”, “SJ”, or 14–gauge wire. Extension cords, surge protectors, and using LCDI technology, such as FireShield^®, are strongly recommended.
You may not use charcoal grills inside apartments, on balconies, or any place smoke may enter the building. Never empty hot coal ashes into trash bins.
Electronic cigarettes, vaporizing devises, or items designed or altered for the use of illegal drugs.
Fire safety concerns not only individual apartments, but the safety and well being of all within the residence halls. Ceiling decorations and overhead doorframe decorations pose a major fire hazard not only in spreading flames but also of dropping on persons attempting to exit a fire emergency or to emergency responders in the apartment. Further, windows need to remain unobstructed for safety in exiting or for emergency responders to enter during emergencies.
Therefore, the following decoration styles or methods are prohibited:
- Decorations hung or suspended from the calling or sprinkler/fire strobes systems
- Decorations strung overhead on doorframes or windows, including sliding glass doors
- Decorations strung overhead on patios and balconies
- Banners, posters, or any object that blocks visibility in windows
Although decorating and rearranging is encouraged, care should be taken to make sure that clear paths are maintained to all egresses, including windows. Decorations also should not mar or damage the apartment or any other part of the facilities.

Special events, inside or out, must receive an Amusement & Entertainment Permit from Indiana State Fire Marshal’s Office before approval to hold the event is granted by the university. See Entertainment Permits

Inspections are made of student housing to ensure fire safe practices are followed.

Procedures for Student Evacuation

In general: Indiana University policy includes posting of EMERGENCY EVACUATION signage in prominent locations in all buildings. On these signs are instructions for evacuation procedures from a student’s individual room: Call 911, get dressed, take room key, feel door, check for smoke, alert others while exiting and be accounted for in your predetermined “safe location” are all included in evacuation signage, along with a “You Are Here” drawing of the building.

IUB

Fire Evacuation Procedures

Take all fire alarms seriously! The building must be evacuated immediately. See your RA or CM for specific fire evacuation instructions. Fire drills occur each semester. Anyone discovering a fire should activate the nearest fire pull station and call 911 or 9–911.

Wear or gather clothing suitable for the weather if time allows.
Close and lock your room door.
Exit the building, in an orderly manner, through the nearest smoke–clear stairwell. Never use an elevator during an evacuation.
Once outside, go to your designated assembly area and wait for further instructions.
If exits are unavailable or inaccessible due to heat or smoke:
- Close the door and use wet towels or other cloth items to seal around the door.
- Wave a towel or sheet in front of the window to gain attention.
- Should air in the room become unbreathable, open or break out the top windowpane and open the bottom of the window approximately four inches. Cover yourself with a wet sheet or blanket and seal off breathing space at the bottom of the window.
- Listen for instructions from rescuers.

IUPUI

Emergency Procedures

Fires and Fire Alarms

You should evacuate the building any time the fire alarm sounds. Familiarize yourself with the fire safety instructions. In case of fire, activate the building fire alarm and exit the building.

IUSB

Drills & Alarms

NOTE: TREAT ALL FIRE ALARMS AS REAL!

For the safety of individuals and others in the community, it is important for persons to exit in a calm and orderly manner to prevent accidents. Further, leaving the building allows fire personnel in actual emergencies to concentrate on those unable to leave and saving the structure and possessions within the building. Drills are an important exercise in ensuring safe behavior should an actual emergency occur.

All persons within a building during a weather related drill or emergency are expected to follow the safety and security guidelines provided in this manual and by housing staff. Please familiarize yourself with posted emergency procedures.

If you hear a fire alarm:

Exit the building immediately and in a calm and orderly manner.
Directions for the best exit route are posted within each apartment near the circuit breaker box.
Each building has a designated gathering spot over 50 feet from the structure.
Directions to this gathering spot are posted near the telephone in the first floor hallway of each buildings two sides.
In the case of inclement weather, residents should move to the Community Building where the emergency responding staff member will let them into the building if it is after operating hours.

If you spot a fire:

Pull the nearest fire alarm
Exit the building immediately
Inform a Housing and Residence Life staff member or someone in the Community Building

To keep safe in a fire:

If your door is hot, do not open it. Turn your lights on so you can be seen, and open a window or sliding door to signal for help and get fresh air. Do not jump out of your window.
If you are able to leave your room safely, wrap a wet towel around your head, shut the window, leave a light on and close and lock the door behind you.
If you are not in your room, do not try and go back to your room.
If the hallway if full of smoke, crawl along the floor to the nearest exit.
Go to the designated gathering spot or Community Building. Stay there until you receive further instructions from Housing and Residence Life staff or University Police.
In the case of inclement weather, residents should move to the Community Building where the emergency responding staff member will let them into the building if it is after operating hours.

IUS

Fire Safety

Fire alarms should be taken seriously, and buildings must be evacuated immediately when alarms sound. Residents should familiarize themselves with the fire safety and evacuation instructions affixed to the back of apartment doors. In case of fire, residents should activate the building fire alarm, exit the building, and meet with their floor/lodge group at the designated location. No resident should re–enter a building until given clearance by emergency personnel. Failure to exit the building during fire alarms, including drills, will result in disciplinary action.

Residents should be aware that smoke detectors may be activated by smoke and steam generated from cooking or from some aerosol products and should use caution to minimize disruptions due to smoke detector activations.

Evacuation Locations

North Lodges
- Forest Residents:
  - Amphitheater
  - Scenic Drive
- Meadow Residents:
  - Amphitheater
  - Scenic Drive
- Woodland Residents: 1.) Amphitheater 2.) Scenic Drive
  - Amphitheater
  - Scenic Drive
South Lodges
- Grove Residents:
  - Lake House
  - Tennis Court Lot
- Orchard Residents:
  - Lake House
  - Tennis Court Lot

Fire Safety Training for Students, Faculty and Staff

IUB

Training on evacuation procedures is provided at student orientation and reinforced throughout the year by Resident Assistants. The Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims also provides training in large group situations covering the operation of portable fire extinguishers, alarms systems and sprinkler systems and emergency evacuations.

IUPUI

Training on evacuation procedures is provided at student orientation and reinforced throughout the year by Resident Assistants. Training for IUPUI Housing and Residence Life live–in student/professional staff receive annual training on emergency response/preparedness from the following units:

IUPUI Police Department
Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims
IU Emergency Management & Continuity
CAPS Staff
Office of Student Conduct (Clery, Title IX response)
HRL Staff

IUSB

IUS

Training on evacuation procedures is provided at student orientation and reinforced throughout the year by Community Advisors. The Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims also provides training in large group situations covering the operation of portable fire extinguishers, alarms systems and sprinkler systems and emergency evacuations.

To Whom Should A Fire Be Reported?

IUB

In the event of an emergency, housing occupants should call local responders via 911, and activate the evacuation alarm, then exit the building. After the emergency has been abated, persons that must be notified of the event are:

University Housing Manager (there is a different manager for each unit);
Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims ( INLOCC@iu.edu, 812–855–9758).

IUPUI

Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims —INLOCC@iu.edu 317-534-8444/812–855–9758
Riverwalk Apartments & Town Houses Duty Phone 317–414–2357
Riverwalk Apartments & Town Houses Duty Phone 317–414–9825
Ball Hall Duty Phone 317–414–9383
University Tower Duty Phone 317–414–9929

IUSB

University Housing Manager.
Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims —INLOCC@iu.edu 574-520-4199/812–855–9758

IUS

University Housing Manager.
Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims —INLOCC@iu.edu 812–856–1824/812–855–9758

Complete Office of Insurance, Loss Control and Claims contact information is listed on the INLOCC Emergency Contact page

Fire Safety in Housing

Office of Insurance, Loss Control & Claims