Essay Sample on Residence Halls Fire Accidents

Introduction

Accidents happen when they are least expected, and nobody plans accidents. They will strike at a time when we are not even aware, and they find us not prepared. Fire accidents are among the most common forms of disasters. Over a long time, residence halls in institutions have had fire accidents that have left many injured as well as many others dead. What is usually important is usually how to prevent these accidents which are generally preventable. Many of these fire accidents are typically caused due to human errors although some are generally not due to mistakes. We need to look at the safety precautions that can be followed to reduce these human errors that lead to such accidents in residence halls. Proper prevention methods can help in reducing accidents.

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In 2014 there was fire at Brown residence hall which led to most of the students being relocated from the building. The light is believed to have broken out in one of the rooms at around 7:30 p.m. after investigations, the officials thought that the fire broke out after a backpack that was on a radiator combusted and set the room on fire. This can be seen as a normal accident because the owner didn't expect that the backpack could cause the explosion. Luckily, there were no much injuries in the incident. Some of the potential sources of such accidents that can be found in the halls of residence may include cooking equipment, candles, and other flammable objects. If these objects are not handled with care, they may cause these accidents that can lead to major disasters (Runyan, Caro W., et al., pp.859-862). Most of the residence halls usually have policies that are supposed to be followed to prevent such accidents.

College and university students who live in residence halls are usually supposed to take care and follow all rules to avoid fire accidents. In the United States, there has been a rise in some fire accidents, especially in the residence halls. Every year there are usually more than 3000 house fires that occur in the colleges and universities. Most of these fires are typically ignited by electrical cooking appliances especially when the electrical outlets are overloaded leading to electrical faults (Tengs, Tammy O., et al., pp. 369-371). Other than electrical causes, these fires are also caused by candles and cigarettes in the rooms. When some of these things are not handled well, then lights are bound to happen. When candles are left unattended, they might cause explosions in the halls. When lighters and matches are not handled well, they might create such accidents that can lead to deaths and injuries.

Most of these residence halls have policies that guide how the students carry out their day-to-day activities in the rooms. The plans can include on how to handle this equipment as well as the ones that are allowed in residence. Some of the policies prohibit candles and hot plates that might cause accidents. When the candles and flammables are left unattended or left overnight accidents are bound to occur. The electrical appliances should also be switched off when they are not in use as this is also a way through which we can prevent these accidents. Candles should not be put near clothes or gas cookers because when they fall they can cause the accidents.

Other policies that halls of residence should adopt may include doing frequent inspections to ensure that the rules and regulations are followed to the latter. These inspections are usually crucial because they enable the management to repair any faults in the rooms that can be dangerous. These faults if not corrected and checked regularly can cause accidents. If there are cooking appliances in the places they should be well maintained and reviewed periodically to make sure they are faultless (Mallonee, Sue, et al., pp. 27-29). If all these policies are followed, it can reduce such accidents in the residence halls.

In 2000 in Seton Hall, New Jersey 3 students died, and several other were injured when a fire broke out in the residence hall. The light which was started by two students as a prank was one of the worst residence halls fire disasters in the United States of America. Most of the students ignored the fire alarm because they had been used to being pranked and this led to a lot of the injuries. This was an insight for the stakeholder to raise awareness of what should be done in case of such an accident to reduce injuries. All the people responsible in the residence halls should be trained on policies that are related to fire prevention. Training should also be done on the use of fire extinguishers in case there is such an accident. These extinguishers should be placed in designated corners where they can be accessed easily. Those in the residence hall should be trained in the proper ways of using an extinguisher as well as how to carry out evacuation in case of an accident.

Conclusion

As much as residence halls' fires are accidents, if we have policies that are followed in place, then we are sure to reduce them. If these policies are developed and everyone is responsible, we can overcome these fire accidents. Remember, that lighter you leave carelessly, that candle that you go unattended can be a cause of a severe crash.

Works Cited

Runyan, Caro W., et al. "Risk factors for fatal residential fires." New England journal of medicine 327.12(1992): 859-863

Tengs, Tammy O., et al. "Five-hundred life-saving interventions and their cost-effectiveness." Risk Analysis 15.3 (2011): 369-390

Mallonee, Sue, et al. "Surveillance and prevention of residential-fire injuries." New England journal of medicine 335.1 (2012): 27-31