ECPD is committed to the safety of its residential and academic buildings. Fire Safety is always a chief concern and is a shared responsibility of Student life, Office of Housing and Residence Life, ECPD and Facilities Management Department, as well as the occupants and users of the buildings.
Emerson College buildings and housing facilities are completely equipped with integrated automatic sprinkler and fire systems, which are monitored 24 hours a day throughout the year. Each building is also equipped with either an emergency generator or a battery backup system designed to automatically activate whenever there is a loss of power to the entire building. The generators and batteries will operate life safety systems including all sprinkler systems, hallway lighting, emergency exit doors, and lighting in all emergency exit stairwells.
Occupants, especially dorm residents, should be very aware that tampering with fire safety devices is not only illegal, but it jeopardizes the safety of everyone in the building.
Fire Drills
- Take control without depending on others to take the first step.
- Don't be afraid to let others know when you need assistance.
- Don't hesitate to communicate what your special needs are in order to make the evacuation easier and safer.
- Communicate with those who can help as soon as you are able.
- Plan ahead. Be prepared.
- When you enter the building, look it over and locate available telephones, exit signs, enclosed stairwells, and fire alarm pull stations.
- Never use elevators during a fire.
Suspected Fires/Alarm Sounds
If you suspect a fire or an alarm sounds:
- Grab your room keys.
- Alert any other occupants of the room.
- Roll out of bed and crawl to the door. Stay low to avoid smoke and heated gases that may have entered your room.
- Feel the doorknob or higher on the door with the back of your hand. If it feels hot, do not open it: the fire may be on the other side of the door. If it is not hot, open it slowly.
- If trapped on upper floors, and if possible, put a wet cloth under closed doors to help prevent the spread of smoke. If you are trapped, call 617-824-8888 and tell the operator your name, building name and room number, and tell them you need to be rescued. Stay on the phone until the fire department arrives at your room.
- If the hallway is clear of smoke, walk to the nearest fire exit and evacuate the building. Close your door behind you.
- Pull the fire alarm on your way out of the building if the alarm is not already sounding.
- Call the Police Department at 617-824-8888 from a safe place and report the nature and location of the fire.
- Do not attempt to extinguish a fire unless you are trained to do so.
- Do not return inside the building until instructed.
- Fire Prevention Regulations are intended to prevent injuries to members of the College community and physical damage to facilities. Rooms are inspected periodically, at random times, to ensure compliance with College regulations.
If evacuation is necessary:
- Provide the campus police dispatcher with your present location.
- Head to the nearest enclosed stairwell landing away from danger.
- If you are not in immediate danger, allow for the majority of the traffic to pass before entering the stairwell.
- Enter the landing and wait for emergency personnel to assist you.
- If the enclosed stairwells cannot be used, enter the safest area and dial 8888. Provide the campus police dispatcher with your exact location and wait for assistance.
- If your telephone doesn't work, try signaling from the window by waving a cloth or other visible object.
For those with special needs:
- Take control without depending on others to take the first step.
- Don't be afraid to let others know when you need assistance.
- Don't hesitate to communicate what your special needs are in order to make the evacuation easier and safer.
- Communicate with those who can help as soon as you are able.
- Plan ahead. Be prepared.
- When you enter the building, look it over and locate available telephones, exit signs, enclosed stairwells, and fire alarm pull stations.
- Never use elevators during a fire.
