In a campus fire, composure is key

DEKALB, Ill. – Statistics show that the number of fires on college campuses has risen dramatically over the last decade. \nData compiled by the National Fire Protection Association and reported by the Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated that 1,800 fires occurred on college campuses in 1998. \nIn a follow-up study in 2005, the National Fire Protection Association estimated nearly 3,300 fires on campus houses on causes of fires are unattended candles, cooking mishaps and overloading of electrical outlets, said Scott Mooberry, safety officer at Northern Illinois University Environmental Health. \nThere is no definitive explanation for the rise in campus area fires, Mooberry said. \n“There is no clear-cut answer, it could be a combination of things,” he said. When it comes to fires at Northern Illinois University, Mooberry said they are a rare occurrence. “I can’t remember the last time (there was a fire in a residence hall),” he said. \nThere are a number of regulations and guidelines in place to prevent fires from occurring on campus, Mooberry said. Smoking is prohibited in residence halls, and community advisers go through safety training, among a number of \nother things. \n“Take the time to be prepared by understanding the fire safety guidelines,” Mooberry said. \nFreshman Courtney Bell, a dorm resident, said she hasn’t been concerned about fires in her brief time on campus \nthus far. \n“They haven’t presented themselves as a problem yet,” Bell said. \nNevertheless, in the event of a fire, composure would be a key, she said. \n“(I would) try to get out, but not panic, not be shoving people out of windows,” Bell said.