EIU Mandated and Student Consumer Information

Disclosure of Fire Safety Standards and Measures

The Higher Education Opportunity Act, contains provisions from the Campus Fire Safety-Right-to-Know Act that was signed into law on August 14, 2008. The Higher Education Opportunity Act requires Eastern Illinois University to report fire safety information.

• Number of fires and fire calls on campus during the last calendar year as well as the preceding two years.
• Describe each on-campus student housing facility.
• The number of students injured or killed by fires.
• Policies relating to fire safety and training.
• The amount of fire prevention training provided to students.
• List procedures for evacuating student housing in the event of a fire.
• Descriptions of the fire protection equipment (alarms/sprinklers) in each on-campus housing unit.
• List the titles of each person or organization to which students and employees should report that a fire occurred.
• List plans for future improvements in fire systems.

You may find the Fire and Security report on the following website: https://www.eiu.edu/environ/fire_standards.php.

To access the current year's Campus Fire Safety–Right-to-Know information, log on to Eastern Illinois University's main page and search "fire"; several links will be retrieved. Click on the "Disclosure" link. The annual Security Report may be accessed though the following website: https://www.eiu.edu/police/Safety_Report.php.

Fire Alarm Record, Fires and Students' Injuries for 2016-2022

Housing Description: Fire Safety Systems and Room Protected:

Plans of Improvement

The Housing department has protected student’s rooms by installing sprinkler systems, upgrading the fire detection, and alarm systems. The campus has finished protected resident halls by installing fire speakers systems. University started the fire protection improvement in 1996.

Policies on Portable Electrical Appliances, Smoking, Open Flames and Evacuation Procedures

Portable Electrical Appliances:
PG 36 Handbook (08-09) -
"Cooking in Rooms, Residence Halls and Greek Court –
There are kitchenettes and microwaves located in each residence hall and Greek Court chapter house. The use of cooking appliances in your room is strictly prohibited. The only exception is an 800 WATT microwave."

https://www.eiu.edu/housing/list.php

Items that should be left at home:

• Electric blankets
• Cooking appliances other than microwaves
• Portable electric heating units
• Halogen lamps without safety grid and wattage over 300 watts
• Candles, incense and other open flames

Smoking

PG 43 Handbook (08-09) -
“Effective July 1st, 2015, in accordance with the Illinois Smoke Free Campus Act, 410 ILCS 82/1-90, the use of all tobacco products is prohibited on all campus property, both indoors and outdoors, including buildings, grounds, parking lots, and vehicles that are owned, leased, occupied, operated, or otherwise controlled by Eastern Illinois University.

The advertising, sale, or free sampling of tobacco products is also prohibited on campus property. Littering the remains of tobacco products or any other related waste product on campus property is further prohibited by the Illinois Litter Control Act, 415 ILCS 105/1-14.

This policy applies to any individual on campus property, including but not limited to students, faculty, staff, other employees, contractors, subcontractors, volunteers, visitors, and members of the public, and is applicable at all times.”

Open Flames:

PG 30 Handbook (08-09) -
“Candles and Combustibles Policy –
Candles, oil lamps, incense or any other combustible materials are not allowed in any University housing facility. Posters on doors, fishnets, crepe paper, potpourri and other combustibles in your room are prohibited.”

Evacuation Procedures:

PG 38-39 Handbook (08-09) -
“Fire/Safety Evacuation Procedure –
Evacuation procedures vary from building to building. You will find yours posted on the back of your room door. They have been designed to empty the building safely and quickly. Residents are required to leave the building promptly if an alarm is sounded. Failure to follow evacuation procedures will result in a minimum $50 fine. When the fire alarm has been shut off, a staff member, fire fighter and/or University Police Officer will allow you to re-enter the building. All fires must be reported to a member of the housing staff, even if an alarm is not sounded, so that the extinguisher may be recharged and the area cleaned.” Housing staff is trained in the five step process of evacuation; pull the alarm to get help coming, knock on room doors and shut the doors behind them, reassemble the floor occupants at the reassembly point outside of the building, and accountability reporting to the fire department. Staff is recognized by the fire department as part of the Incident Command Structure for the incident.

Fire Training and Fire Drills

Each year, the Housing staff receives two training sessions before the academic year starts. The staff receives training on managing all emergencies sessions including fire. An additional training period is devoted to fire extinguisher training and practical exercise. The training concludes with a fire simulation exercise called “Get Out Alive.” A hallway in one of the Halls is filled with smoke and Housing staff will evacuate the hallway under extreme conditions. This “Get Out Alive” training is well received and will continue to be part of the training program for the staff.

The Housing residents receive fire preparedness training by the Housing staff on what to expect during a fire alarm. Once each semester the fire alarms are activated for each Housing building and full evacuation is conducted by the Housing staff. The drills conclude when the residents assemble in the Hall’s designated relocation area. Two drills are conducted each year to monitor the response actions of the residents during a drill.

The University's Emergency Handbook is on display in Student housing facility and Academic Building. Listed in the Emergency Handbook are steps to take if you discover a fire and methods to protect oneself during a fire.

Institution’s Plan for Future Improvement of Fire Safety

The University has completed installing sprinkler systems in the halls. Along with the sprinkler systems upgrade will be upgrade of the fire alarm detection and warning. Most of the halls will be equipped with a voice alarm system. The new warning system will also play messages concerning tornado and emergency notifications. The evacuation times have improved in the buildings that have the new voice warning system.

Education for the building occupants will be ongoing. Departmental review of Emergency Plans will include fire evacuation routes and accountability of occupants. A poster campaign in conjunction with United State Fire Academy will continue addressing the need to maintain smoke detectors. Another project that may be planned is to build a “demonstration” residence room to illustrate how fast the room will burn.

Fire Reporting Procedure

At the first indication of a fire or smoke in the building, a fire alarm is activated by manual activation or fire detection /suppression system. The fire alarm is reported to central dispatch of emergency services (911). 911 will dispatch the University Police Department and Charleston Fire Department by using incident command structure. The fire scene will be managed by the Charleston Fire Department by using incident command structure. Small fire on campus that may not activate the smoke detector should also be reported to your building coordinator in academic buildings. If the small fire occurs in a student housing facility, you should report the fire to the floor resident assistant, hall director, or the University Housing office.

Fire Log for Eastern Illinois University Facilities for the Past Three Years

Andrews Hall

2150 7th Street

Carman Hall

2207 9th Street

Powell-Norton Hall

280 Grant Avenue

East Hall

2103 12th Street

Ford Hall

1867 4th Street

Greek Court

Lawson Hall

2151 4th Street

Lincoln Hall

360 Grant Avenue

Pemberton Hall

1521 4th Street

McKinney Hall

1907 4th Street

Stevenson Hall

320 Grant Avenue

Taylor Hall

2121 4th Street

Thomas Hall

2120 7th Street

University Apartments

University Court

2150 9th Street

Weller Hall

1921 4th Street