Fire, Safety, and Protection

Policy

Campus buildings shall be immediately and totally evacuated whenever the building evacuation alarm is sounding.

1. Upon discovery of evidence that a fire emergency exists, an individual shall accomplish, or cause to be accomplished, the following actions:
   1. Sound an alarm. Activate the building fire alarm in buildings equipped with a manual fire alarm system. Shout a warning and knock-on door as you evacuate in buildings not equipped with a fire alarm.
   2. Shut off all machinery and equipment in the area.
   3. Retrieve personal items if possible, such as car keys, purse, etc.
   4. Leave the building at once.
   5. Call the fire department from a safe place.
      1. On-Campus phones: DIAL 2111
      2. Off-Campus phones and campus pay phones: DIAL 9-9-1-1
      3. Use Campus emergency phones
      4. Outdoors: Code Blue Phones with red “EMERGENCY” markings under blue lights can be used to call in fires.
2. When security or the emergency operator answers, tell them that you need the fire department and give as much specific information as possible. State that you are calling from Minnesota State University, Mankato and include the proper name of the building and room number, floor, or other specific area. Do not hang up until released by the dispatcher. A phone call must be made. All building fire alarms do not notify the fire department directly. They are monitored by a central monitoring station.
   1. Meet the fire department and campus security outside and direct them to the emergency.
   2. All fires, even if extinguished or found extinguished, must be reported to security.
   3. All fire alarms, even if suspected to be false or accidental, must be reported to security/fire department.
3. The evacuation procedures shall be as follows:
   1. It shall be the responsibility of every person to immediately leave campus buildings whenever the fire alarm is activated, or a fire emergency exists. All students, faculty, and staff are required to leave the building and remain outside until the emergency is over. No one shall restrict or impede the evacuation.
   2. Minnesota State University Emergency Managers are expected to review annually fire prevention and fire survival information with faculty and staff, or to schedule such a presentation with the Environmental Safety and Health Department.
4. Whenever it is brought to the attention of the staff of residential buildings, or departmental personnel, that the fire alarm or sprinkler system is inoperable or has been placed out of service, a Firewatch shall be established.
   1. Trained University Employees shall be assigned to fire watch. Fire watch training must be approved by local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) such as local fire marshal.
   2. The entire building shall be toured at least one time during each hour of the Firewatch.
   3. The Security Department at 2111 shall be notified each hour that the watch has been performed.
   4. The Firewatch shall be maintained at all times that the building is occupied until the fire protection system is repaired.
5. Interruption of a fire alarm:
   1. No person may shut off any fire protection or alarm system during a fire emergency incident without the permission of the fire department officer in charge.
   2. No person may shut off any fire protection or alarm system during a bomb threat emergency without the permission of the police officer in charge.
   3. It shall be the responsibility of the Physical Plant personnel to reset or cause to be repaired, any fire protection or alarm system after an emergency incident when notified by the fire department in charge. The Physical Plant personnel shall inspect each system immediately after every emergency incident and place the system in serviceable condition.
   4. The fire departments may reset an alarm system only if there is no damage to the system and when it is within their technical capabilities to do so.
   5. Any person desiring to interrupt service to any fire protection or alarm system must obtain permission from the Physical Plant Office and notify Security and the Physical Plant Office prior to work being conducted. The Physical Plant Office can be reached at 2071 and Security Office can be reached at 2111. Security shall notify the fire departments and central monitoring station of every such interruption.
   6. Fire department must request the Physical Plant to repair or reset a fire protection system, via the Security Office at 2111.
6. Information Release to Media and the Public:
   1. All information regarding fires will be released through the President in cooperation with the Media Relations Office. No other agency or employee may release official statements regarding the cause, origin, or nature of campus fires.
   2. In compliance with the Cleary Act, University Security maintains a Daily Crime and Fire Log and publishes the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which lists all fire incidents.

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Procedure

Campus buildings shall be immediately and totally evacuated whenever the building evacuation alarm is sounding.

1. Upon discovery of evidence that a fire emergency exists, an individual shall accomplish, or cause to be accomplished, the following actions:
   1. Sound an alarm. Activate the building fire alarm in buildings equipped with a manual fire alarm system. Shout a warning and knock-on door as you evacuate in buildings not equipped with a fire alarm.
   2. Shut off all machinery and equipment in the area.
   3. Retrieve personal items if possible, such as car keys, purse, etc.
   4. Leave the building at once.
   5. Call the fire department from a safe place.
      1. On-Campus phones: DIAL 2111
      2. Off-Campus phones and campus pay phones: DIAL 9-9-1-1
      3. Use Campus emergency phones
      4. Outdoors: Code Blue Phones with red “EMERGENCY” markings under blue lights can be used to call in fires.
2. When security or the emergency operator answers, tell them that you need the fire department and give as much specific information as possible. State that you are calling from Minnesota State University, Mankato and include the proper name of the building and room number, floor, or other specific area. Do not hang up until released by the dispatcher. A phone call must be made. All building fire alarms do not notify the fire department directly. They are monitored by a central monitoring station.
   1. Meet the fire department and campus security outside and direct them to the emergency.
   2. All fires, even if extinguished or found extinguished, must be reported to security.
   3. All fire alarms, even if suspected to be false or accidental, must be reported to security/fire department.
3. The evacuation procedures shall be as follows:
   1. It shall be the responsibility of every person to immediately leave campus buildings whenever the fire alarm is activated, or a fire emergency exists. All students, faculty, and staff are required to leave the building and remain outside until the emergency is over. No one shall restrict or impede the evacuation.
   2. Minnesota State University Emergency Managers are expected to review annually fire prevention and fire survival information with faculty and staff, or to schedule such a presentation with the Environmental Safety and Health Department.
4. Whenever it is brought to the attention of the staff of residential buildings, or departmental personnel, that the fire alarm or sprinkler system is inoperable or has been placed out of service, a Firewatch shall be established.
   1. Trained University Employees shall be assigned to fire watch. Fire watch training must be approved by local authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) such as local fire marshal.
   2. The entire building shall be toured at least one time during each hour of the Firewatch.
   3. The Security Department at 2111 shall be notified each hour that the watch has been performed.
   4. The Firewatch shall be maintained at all times that the building is occupied until the fire protection system is repaired.
5. Interruption of a fire alarm:
   1. No person may shut off any fire protection or alarm system during a fire emergency incident without the permission of the fire department officer in charge.
   2. No person may shut off any fire protection or alarm system during a bomb threat emergency without the permission of the police officer in charge.
   3. It shall be the responsibility of the Physical Plant personnel to reset or cause to be repaired, any fire protection or alarm system after an emergency incident when notified by the fire department in charge. The Physical Plant personnel shall inspect each system immediately after every emergency incident and place the system in serviceable condition.
   4. The fire departments may reset an alarm system only if there is no damage to the system and when it is within their technical capabilities to do so.
   5. Any person desiring to interrupt service to any fire protection or alarm system must obtain permission from the Physical Plant Office and notify Security and the Physical Plant Office prior to work being conducted. The Physical Plant Office can be reached at 2071 and Security Office can be reached at 2111. Security shall notify the fire departments and central monitoring station of every such interruption.
   6. Fire department must request the Physical Plant to repair or reset a fire protection system, via the Security Office at 2111.
6. Information Release to Media and the Public:
   1. All information regarding fires will be released through the President in cooperation with the Media Relations Office. No other agency or employee may release official statements regarding the cause, origin, or nature of campus fires.
   2. In compliance with the Cleary Act, University Security maintains a Daily Crime and Fire Log and publishes the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report which lists all fire incidents.

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