Fire Safety Policy
Each year thousands of people are hurt or killed in fires. Most of the deaths and injuries are needless because most fires can be prevented. The best way to avoid fires is to avoid the hazards that create them. The following information designates NHTI’s policies regarding fire safety in the residence halls and beyond (when applicable).
Appliances and Cooking
- Any appliance used in a residence hall room must be listed or recognized to a UL standard by a national recognized testing laboratory. This includes clocks, radios, stereos, and computers.
- Appliances that are strictly prohibited in the residence halls include any item with a heating coil; i.e., toasters and toaster ovens, hotplates, electric fry pans and electric heaters.
- Appliances that may be used in a residence hall room but cannot be plugged in unattended include curling irons and irons. These items have heated exposed surfaces that have caused fires in the past.
- Extension cords may not be used for microwaves and refrigerators. Microwaves and refrigerators need to be plugged directly into an outlet of construction-grade quality (generally the same size or larger than the units’ own cord). If an adapter is used for a power strip or an extension cord, the ground lead must be connected. The only refrigerators and microwaves that are allowed are the appliances provided to students in their residence hall room.
Decorations
- If you use wall or door posters or hangings, they should be used sparingly. No more than 50% of the surface of any wall or exit door may be covered (this does not include furniture). This precaution eliminates excess combustible material that could cause fires to spread. The state fire marshal recommendations preclude the use of overhead hangings of any kind including items hung from the ceiling, walls, or pipes running
horizontally with the ceiling is strictly prohibited. If an item is hung from a wall, the item must be completely touching that wall. This precaution prevents the possibility of materials falling down during a fire. - Candles, tarts, incense, and other items with a wick (such as kerosene lamps) and other objects that create and hold a flame are prohibited. No exceptions will be made for cut wicks or removed wicks. Candles have caused many serious rooms fires in the past and are one of the easiest ways for a fire to start.
Electrical
- Multiple outlet adapters (splitters or cube taps) with a fuse or circuit breaker are acceptable. Power strips with a circuit breaker or a fuse are recommended.
- When using an extension cord, it must match the same size and type cord supplied with the appliance. Use only UL-listed cord sets.
- Any style lamp using a halogen type bulb is strictly prohibited. The intense heat generated by these lamps can cause a fire. All residence halls are provided with forced hot water heat. No fewer than 6 inches is required between any furniture and the heater unit. Room fires have started because of items too close to a room heater. The following electrical appliances are not permitted in resident rooms: air conditioners, heating units, sun lamps, halogen and lava lamps, toasters, grills, coffee pots, heating coils, personal refrigerators, microwaves, hot plates, and electric blankets.
- No wires may be run underneath a rug except low voltage wires such as telephone cords, speaker wire, or cable wire.
Exits
- All pathways to room doors and windows must be kept clear. An item hanging to enclose or decorate a
sleeping space is not permitted. Room doors must open at least 90 degrees. - Hallways and stairs must be kept clear at all times. No bicycle parking or other items are permitted in the hallways, entrances, or stairwells.
Tobacco/Smoking/Vape Devices
- Tobacco in any form to include smoking/vaping is prohibited in all campus buildings and residence halls. Smoking is only allowed in the two designated smoking gazebos located outside of Langley Hall and behind Little Hall.
- Open flames, candles, incense, lit cigarettes, cigars, pipes, or instruments used for vaping are not allowed in any area of the residence halls and are strictly prohibited.
Other Regulations
- The building of structures in resident rooms (i.e., lofts) is prohibited.
- Flammable items such as stain, cleaning solvents, butane, propane torches, gasoline, camping or cooking fuels, oil lamps, oil candles, and kerosene lamps are all strictly prohibited.
- Empty trash frequently and into outside dumpsters to avoid it accumulating and becoming a fire hazard. Do not place room trash in bathrooms, hallways, or other common areas since this creates a fire hazard.
Room Inspections
- Safety inspections of student rooms for fire hazards and violations will be conducted several times per semester. (This inspection is held in conjunction with smoke detector testing, which is required by state law.) Room inspections help discover hazards and violations that have been overlooked. If any of these conditions exist in a student’s room, the student will be asked to address them and may be fined for the violation.
- Residence Life, Campus Safety, and Maintenance are among the departments that inspect rooms for health and safety. Any questions about the fire safety room checks or policies may be directed to the residence hall director, director of Residence Life, or the director of Campus Safety.
- These guidelines and regulations are in place for students’ safety. Fire safety is everyone’s responsibility.
If a fire is discovered on campus or in any campus building, Campus Safety should be notified immediately by calling 603-224‐3287. Listed below are the non‐emergency numbers to call to report fires that have already been extinguished in on-campus student housing. These are fires for which a student may be unsure whether the NHTI Campus Safety is already aware. If a student finds evidence of such a fire or if hears about such a fire, they are encouraged to contact one of the following:
- NHTI Campus Safety: 603-230‐4042
- Director of Residence Life: 603-230‐4044
- Vice President of Student Affairs: 603-230-4040
When calling, please provide as much information as possible about the location, date, time, and cause of the fire.
Fire Safety Equipment in the Residence Halls
Sprinkler, Fire Detection, and Alarm Systems
Each residence hall is protected by an automatic fire detection system connected directly to the Concord Fire Department. Upon receipt of an alarm activation, the fire department immediately responds to the residence hall. The fire protection system comprises smoke and heat detectors, sprinklers, and hallway manual pull stations. All boiler rooms are equipped with carbon monoxide detectors. All rooms have a sprinkler and a local-sounding smoke detector. A charge of $100 plus cost for any damages is assessed to the occupant(s) of a room for tampering with a smoke detector. Students who suspect a smoke detector is malfunctioning must contact their RA immediately.
Malicious False Alarm
Anyone activating a fire alarm without cause by pulling a pull station or tampering with any of the automatic fire detection devices is responsible for a malicious false alarm. This is a serious offense. By initiating such a false alarm, one exposes both residents and firefighters to unnecessary risk. A charge of $350 is assessed to any person who initiates a false fire alarm. Additionally, those caught causing a malicious false alarm may be arrested and prosecuted to the full extent of the law and violations of college policies and may be held accountable for any injuries or damage which occurs during a fire evacuation.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are found in every residence hall hallway. These are the first line of defense in case of a fire and could save a life. Do not tamper with fire extinguishers. Eviction from the residence hall is a possible consequence for tampering with a fire extinguisher. There is a $100 charge for resetting an extinguisher that has been misused.
NHTI Fire Safety Rules
Fire Prevention/Drills/Alarms/Equipment
Students are expected to notify Campus Safety of any fire and safety hazards and to report a fire promptly. All students are expected to observe all fire safety procedures established for their building including participating in fire alarm/evacuation drills. Students must leave the building during fire drills or be subject to disciplinary action. Fire extinguishers and alarm systems shall not be tampered with or tested by unauthorized persons nor should anything cover, be attached to, or hung from detector, devices, conduit, or sprinkler heads. Students are expected to help prevent false alarms and should report any tampering with fire safety equipment to the appropriate staff person. Students are financially responsible for charges assessed as of result of tampering with fire safety equipment.
Campus Safety, in conjunction with the Residence Life staff, will conduct a minimum of 3 fire drills in each occupied hall annually. Once students have evacuated their hall, they are instructed by Residence Life staff where they are to congregate (a minimum of 50 feet away from building) to await further instructions.
NHTI Administrative Policies and Regulations
Faculty, staff, and students are expected to abide by administrative fire prevention policies. Violation of these
policies may result in disciplinary action and fines.
- False Fire Alarms: Making, causing, or aiding in a false fire alarms, false reports of fires is prohibited per RSA 644:3-a. Offenders/violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
- False Fire Alarms Resulting in Injury or Death: Making or causing to be made false fire alarms and/or false reports of fires that results in bodily injury or death is a felony violation of RSA 644:3-b. Offenders/violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
- Fire Safety Equipment: Nothing shall obstruct any fire sprinkler head or be hung from piping supplying sprinkler heads. Tampering, interfering with, or impairing fire safety equipment or the unauthorized removal of such equipment is prohibited per RSA 644:3-c. The playing of hall sports in residence halls is prohibited to protect fire safety equipment.
- Evacuation: Failure to evacuate in the event of a fire alarm, hazardous and/or serious condition, or at the request of a college or fire official is prohibited.
- Failure to Report: Failure to report serious or hazardous incidents including, but not limited to, fire, accident, or illness is prohibited.
- Failure to Obey Directives: Failure to obey directives or interfere with the response of college officials and/or emergency response personnel to emergency calls or in the carrying out of their regular responsibilities is prohibited.
- Fire Hazards: Creating fire hazards, endangering the safety of persons or property, improperly using electrical appliances, or possessing hazardous flammable substances including but not limited to gasoline, benzene, naphtha, and cleaning fluids is prohibited.
- External Doors and Internal Fire Doors: Opening a clearly marked external emergency exit or security door or deliberately propping open a door that is intended to be locked is prohibited. Students are also prohibited from obstructing or blocking openings of any interior fire door/stairwell door.
