Fire Safety

The following pertains to any unexpected emergency alarm requiring evacuation from the building. First and foremost is protecting your life. Remain calm and evacuate. When the fire alarm activates, all occupants must exit via the nearest stairs. If the building cannot be exited, stairwells are the area of refuge.

Proceed to the short-term assembly area and remain there until emergency responders indicate that the building is safe for reentry. Upon reentry, it is encouraged that occupants utilize the stairs (when possible) to avoid overloading an elevator.

Faculty, staff and students who are not capable of complying with the evacuation procedures, or who may have special needs or recognized disabilities, should contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at 412-624-9505 for development of an Individual Evacuation Plan. Copies of these plans are maintained with Pitt Police for use by emergency responders.

The Fire Emergency video above will guide you through fire emergencies on our campus, emphasizing the appropriate response in different scenarios. View Pitt's Emergency Response, Evacuation, and Training procedures (pdf).

Fire education and training programs for students living in residence halls are provided to the residence life staff and to specific groups. Residence life staff and desk attendants are trained in building emergency evacuation proce­dures. Fire extinguisher training is provided to designated personnel. Fire safety training for all students, staff, and faculty is available at Fire Safety Day during the fall term or by contacting the Department of Environmental Health and Safety.

Students and employees should report any fire event regardless of size by activating a manual pull station and, after evacuating to a safe area, by calling the Pittsburgh campus emergency number, 412-624-2121. Students and employees should also report any evidence of an extinguished fire to the Pittsburgh campus emergency number at 412-624-2121. Students and employees are encouraged to report any problems with fire protection systems to University of Pittsburgh Housing Services via Panther Central.

A daily fire log is maintained by the Pitt Police as part of the daily crime and fire log. All actual fires occurring within on-campus residence facilities that are reported are recorded in the daily log. The most current log can be found at police.pitt.edu and is available for viewing in person during normal business hours at the Jerome Cochran Public Safety Building, 3412 Forbes Ave.

Comprehensive guidelines for fire safety and fire prevention including those for emergency evacuation, electrical appliances, and no smoking or open flames can be found in the University’s Safety Manual at the Department of Environmental Health and Safety in the following sections: Fire and Emergency Evacuation Procedures, Fire Safety and Prevention, and Residence Halls.

All residence halls and fraternity houses on the Pittsburgh campus are non-smoking environments. Each sleeping and living room in on-campus student housing has a smoke detector. Other fire safety devices in every residence hall and fraternity house on campus at Pitt include building fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers, and smoke/heat detectors in common building spaces and mechanical rooms. In all residence halls, all on-campus fraternity houses, and the majority of the residential apartment buildings, the stairwells have fire-rated construction and are equipped with self-closing and latching fire doors.

On-campus Housing Fire Safety Systems 

All sprinkler systems, all fire alarm pull stations, and certain smoke detectors are monitored 24/7 by Pitt Police and off-site by a nationally recognized security company. Detection by automated fire protection features or the use of a manual pull station will activate the building’s alarm system of horns/speakers and strobe lights.

Residence Life officials educate students each year on emergency egress and shelter-in-place procedures specific to a particular building.

Residence Hall Fire Drills

At least two unannounced emergency evacuation exercises are conducted for each on-campus residence building during every school year.

Prohibitions on Portable Electric Appliances, Smoking, and Open Flames

Students are required to read and comply with the Student Code of Conduct, Residential Handbook, and/or their housing contract, which includes health and safety inspections and all other rules and guidelines for residential buildings. Periodic room inspections are performed and include, but are not limited to, a visual examination of electrical cords/power strips, smoke detectors, sprinkler heads, damages, etc. In addition, each room is examined for the presence of prohibited items (e.g., sources of open flame, such as candles; unapproved extension cords; halogen lamps; cooking appliances in non-kitchen areas; lofted furniture, lithium battery powered recreational vehicles (hover boards, skateboards, scooters, motor assisted pedal bicycles, remote controlled vehicles, etc.) or prohibited activity (e.g., smoking in the room; tampering with life safety equipment; possession of pets). The inspections also include a general assessment of trash and cleanliness of the room. Violations are recorded on room inspection reports and the resident director provides notification of sanctions.

Read Panther Central's information on Fire Safety in Residence Halls.

• Choose fire-safe housing that includes automatic sprinklers and a monitored fire alarm system.
• Smoke detectors and alarms should be provided on every level and in each sleeping area
• Carbon monoxide detectors and alarms should be provided when fuel burning equipment or appliances (gas stoves, gas furnaces, fireplaces, integral parking garages, etc.) are provided.
• The smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors should be tested monthly, and batteries replaced twice a year.
• There should be at least two exits from the apartment and at least two exits leading to the exterior of the building.
• If fire escape ladders are provided, confirm with the building owner that they are in working order. 
• All exit doors along the path of travel to the building’s exterior should open outward and do not require a key or other means to exit.
• Emergency lighting should be provided in the hallways along all exit paths and tested monthly. If some of the emergency lighting is not functioning, contact the building owner for maintenance.
• Fire extinguishers should be provided in every hallway, spaced no more than 75 ft. apart and one provided near each kitchen.
• The fire extinguishers should be checked monthly and a vendor performed annual inspection with an up to date service tag attached.
• All gas, electric, kitchen and heating appliances should be confirmed to be in good working condition. A qualified professional should inspect the gas, electric, kitchen and heating appliances at least every year.
• Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) outlets should be provided within 6 ft. of water sources such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms.
• Confirm the building has been inspected by the local fire department, or other City designated inspection agencies.

• If you discover or suspect a fire, pull the building alarm (if provided). By code, alarm pull stations are located within 5 feet from a building or stairway exit door.
• Go to the nearest exit or exit stairway. If the nearest exit is blocked by smoke or fire, go to another exit.
• It is of key importance to know two ways out from every room.
• When safely outside the building, call 911, providing the building’s address, as much information as possible and follow any instructions given. Do not re-enter the building until the “all clear” signal is given by first responders.
• Before opening any door, feel the door with the back of your hand. If it is hot, do not open the door! If it is cool, open it slightly.
• Close as many doors and windows as possible as you leave. However, do not put yourself in danger to do so.
• This helps to confine a fire and limit the spread of smoke to other areas of the building.
• If smoke is present, get down and crawl. Cleaner, cooler air will be near the floor.

If heat, fire and/or heavy smoke are present, preventing you from leaving, close the door, stay in your room and take the following actions: 

1. Call 911 and inform the operator of your address and your location in the apartment. 
2. Place a garment or other material (wetted down if water is available) along the bottom of the door to seal the opening and help protect it from smoke entering the room.
3. If materials are present, a sign attracting attention to your location should be placed in a window.  
4. If there are no outside signs of smoke or fire, the window can be partially opened to allow waving or hanging of a larger item (sheet, coat, etc.) to signal first responders.

Before using an extinguisher:

1. Make sure the alarm has been sounded (if provided).
2. Make sure the extinguisher you plan to use will be adequate for the type of fire.
3. If you go into a space containing smoke and/or fire, keep your exit at your back! Smoke and fire can make it extremely difficult to identify an exit door.
4. When extinguishing a minor fire remember the PASS technique:

• P - Pull the pin. Pull the pin all the way out from the extinguisher.
• A - Aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire where it is closest to you.
• S - Squeeze the handle to activate the extinguisher.
• S - Sweep the nozzle from side to side and front to back, at the base of the fire.

If the fire cannot put out with one fire extinguisher, leave the building immediately.

Fire safety officials have increased the number of Web-based fire safety programs to include video links and other forms of social media.

Future improvements will consist of continuing collaboration with residence life to develop social media strategies and other methods to increase awareness and help educate students on various aspects of fire safety.