Fire Safety
In the wake of two serious fires affecting UW–Madison students last fall, a coalition led by the Offices of the Dean of Students and the Madison Fire Department is urging students to:
- Assess the fire safety of their room, house or apartment.
- Check their smoke detectors to ensure that the units are operating.
- Never disable the unit or “borrow” the battery for other uses.
- Ensure their bedroom has a smoke alarm, whether it is part of an alarm system or a standalone battery-powered unit.
- Change their batteries every spring and fall. If a house or apartment doesn’t have smoke detectors, students should contact their landlord.
- Keep fire safety in mind before signing a lease for next fall. Ask potential landlords about the availability of fire alarm systems, sprinklers, and smoke detectors.
- Consider calling the city building inspection unit, 608/266-4551, to research whether a building has had violations. Or call the Madison Fire Department, 608/266-4420, and ask for fire activity and fire code violations for the address.