Strategies to Prevent Fire Damage in Dormitories as Students Return to College This Fall

9/7/2022 (Permalink)

Blog Summary: SERVPRO of Media highlights fire damage prevention strategies for colleges as students head back to school.

The team at SERVPRO® of Media, PA, is certified in fire damage and water damage cleanup and restoration services, as well as smoke removal services. When a fire occurs, the damage scene is complex and toxic, requiring a multi-faceted cleanup and restoration solution. Student displacement presents a challenge to institutional administrators who must find accommodations on a campus that is likely at peak residential capacity at the commencement of the fall semester. SERVPRO of Media is available 24/7, 365 days a year, including holidays. SERVPRO can tackle fire damage in a single dorm room fire or scale to meet the challenges of dormitory buildings that sustained extensive damage. The fast response and quick cleanup and restoration have the students back in their rooms and resuming their normal routines as soon as possible. SERVPRO of Media offers these fire safety strategies to avoid fire damage as students return to campus this fall.

Campus life in a college dorm room can be exciting, fulfilling, comical, and sometimes hazardous. FEMA reports the following statistics: “According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 3,800 university housing fires occur each year in the United States with 88 percent being cooking fires. The leading causes of campus-related fires include: 1) cooking (hot plates, microwaves, portable grills, etc.); 2) arson; 3) careless smoking; 4) unattended candles; and 5) overloaded extension cords, power strips, and outlets.”

The last time most incoming freshmen received any fire safety education was many years earlier while they were in elementary school. To prevent fires in campus housing, a culture of fire safety must be inculcated in the student body. This goal can be effectively achieved through ongoing fire safety education. Emphasis should be placed on the primary fire hazards in the dorm room: cooking, careless smoking, candle safety, and the proper use of extension cords, power strips, and outlets. Many colleges and universities are smoke-free and candle-free (except with special permission). Regularly scheduled fire drills are a loud reminder of the need to be mindful of ever-present fire hazards. The drills will also familiarize students with predetermined evacuation routes.

The value of pre-qualifying a damage restoration company

By pre-qualifying a dedicated property damage cleanup and restoration company, institutional administrators only need to make one phone call when a disaster strikes. The SERVPRO franchise family has a solid reputation as an industry leader spanning over fifty years and is a trusted partner with institutions and property management companies around the US. Consider these key factors when formulating a disaster readiness response or when reviewing and revising current response protocols for the upcoming academic calendar.

• Core competencies: Fire damage, smoke damage, water damage, flood damage, biohazard cleanup (drugs), crime scene cleanup, suicide and accident cleanup (blood and body fluids), Certified SERVPRO Clean services (COVID)
• Certification: SERVPRO technicians are trained to the highest industry standards through IICRC, the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification, a non-profit organization for the Inspection, Cleaning, and Restoration Industries.
• Bonded, licensed, insured, and a top choice of insurance companies when a disaster strikes
• Massive scalability: SERVPRO has the capacity to respond with one, five, or fifty (or more) crews in the event of a large loss disaster such as a large-scale structure fire, flash flood, tornado damage, or vandalism/graffiti incident. The concentration of franchise service providers in the greater Philadelphia area uniquely qualifies SERVPRO to meet any large-scale need. SERVPRO of Media can tap this asset-rich reserve almost instantly and activate a rapid, highly coordinated response.
• Documentation: Upon arrival, a highly trained technician conducts a thorough inspection and assessment of the damage scene. A detailed, well-documented estimate, including images and videos, is provided to the client. SERVPRO uses Xactimate, the industry-standard estimating software utilized by insurance companies.
• End-to-end service, including working with the insurance company and providing general contracting services for the restoration/rebuild phase of the overall project
• Availability: The fire damage restoration professionals at SERVPRO of Media are available 24/7, 365 days a year, including holidays.
• Free consultation: SERVPRO of Media helps businesses, industry, medical facilities, property management companies, and institutions of higher learning formulate a customized disaster response plan. This Emergency Readiness Plan is tailored to fit the client’s individual needs.

For more information about fire prevention strategies, property damage cleanup and restoration, or a customized Emergency Readiness Plan in Newtown Square, PA, contact SERVPRO of Media by email at office@SERVPROmedia.com. The office can also be contacted by phone at (610) 566-5720.