Fire Evacuation Policy

I. Policy Statement:

1. Employees are not required to fight fires and should evacuate the building they occupy immediately in the event of a fire. The University Police Department has primary responsibility for managing fire emergencies (until relieved by applicable fire department personnel) and must be notified immediately of such situations at their emergency number, ext. 4444, or if dialing from off campus, 732-571-4444. Employees may use fire extinguishers to fight small, incipient-stage fires (no larger than a wastepaper basket) only if they have been trained in the proper use of a fire extinguisher and are confident in their ability to cope with the hazards of a fire. In such cases, fire-fighting efforts must be terminated when it becomes obvious that there is danger of harm from smoke, heat, or flames.

II. Emergency Coordinators:

1. Each University department head must maintain a current copy of the Fire Evacuation Policy and Procedures and review the contents of this document with all employees in the department.
2. In addition, the Director of Compliance/Risk Manager must appoint at least two Emergency Coordinators for each building or group of buildings on campus. One of the Emergency Coordinators will serve as the primary emergency contact and the other(s) will serve as the back-up coordinator(s). All assigned emergency coordinators will be provided the same information and training.
3. A plaque or poster listing the emergency coordinators for each area of the building must be displayed in each department.
4. Emergency Coordinators shall receive annual training about their responsibilities that shall cover the following tasks:
   1. Assist in the safe and orderly evacuation of the occupants of the building;
   2. Serve as the first point of contact for questions about the emergency evacuation procedures;
   3. Ensure that a Fire Evacuation Information Plaque is posted inside every classroom and/or office, on the left side of the door jamb approximately 5 feet from the floor and at the point of exit from each floor(s) of the building within each coordinator’s area of responsibility;
   4. Receive training on the use of fire extinguishers on a voluntary basis;
   5. Have thorough knowledge of the assembly area for each coordinator’s building and assisting supervisors in accounting for all personnel at the assembly point;
   6. Notify emergency personnel of anyone requiring evacuation assistance;
   7. Assist emergency personnel as needed; and
   8. Maintain and update the Fire Evacuation Information Plaque, as required, and ensure that the poster is mounted appropriately in accordance with item #3 of this paragraph.
5. The Executive Director for Campus Planning and Facilities Management, Director of Compliance/Risk Manager, and Monmouth University Police Captain shall maintain a current list of building Emergency Coordinators.

III. Reporting Fire and Emergencies:

1. If a fire is discovered, activate the nearest fire alarm and call the University Police Department at ext. 4444.
   1. Give your name, the location of the emergency, and the nature of the emergency.
   2. If the fire alarm does not work, or the building is not equipped with one, dial ext. 4444 and notify occupants verbally of the emergency and the need to evacuate.
   3. You should only attempt to put out the fire if you have been trained and are comfortable with using a fire extinguisher; otherwise, immediately evacuate the building.
   4. Hazardous equipment or processes should be shut down before leaving unless doing so presents a greater hazard.
   5. Remember to close all doors when leaving as long as conditions permit.

IV. Evacuation Procedures:

1. Evacuate via the nearest stairwell or street-level exit.
2. Do not use elevators.
3. Each University building has a predesignated assembly point.
4. After you have left the building, go to the predesignated assembly point and remain there.
   
   At the assembly point, supervisors will account for all personnel and report any that are unaccounted for to the University Police.
5. During an emergency, students and visitors who may not be familiar with this plan must be informed by faculty or department personnel of the requirement to evacuate.
6. Special attention should also be given to any person requiring assistance because of a disability, especially those who are visitors or unfamiliar with the building.
   1. People requiring evacuation assistance should proceed to the nearest stairwell and position themselves to the side of the stairwell. The presence and location of these individuals should be reported to the emergency responders or University Police (ext. 4444).
   2. Emergency personnel will attend to their evacuation.
   3. In the unlikely event that a person needing evacuation assistance must be evacuated before emergency personnel arrive, the person shall be asked to instruct as to the safest method of evacuation for him or her.
7. No one is permitted to reenter any building until the ranking police officer or commander on the scene has given the “all clear” message.

V. Training:

1. Each department head is responsible for training its employees on all elements of this Emergency Action Plan and Fire Evacuation Policy.
2. New employees will be provided instruction on where to obtain this document and given the Fire Evacuation Factsheet attached to this policy during initial training by the Office of Compliance when first assigned to the department.
3. Additional training is necessary when an employee’s responsibilities under the plan change or when there are changes to the plan. Additional training is available upon request from the Office of Compliance (compliance@monmouth.edu).

VI. Residence Halls:

1. The Vice President for Student Life is responsible for establishing evacuation procedures for University students residing in residence halls, campus apartments, and University, sponsored housing.
2. These procedures shall be in writing and made available to Conference Services and Special Events, Athletics, and all other departments that utilize the residence halls, athletics, and/or campus apartments to house students, employees, or visitors. See “PROCEDURES FOR RESIDENTIAL LIFE STAFF TO ASSIST IN EVACUATION OF RESIDENCE HALLS.”

VII. Conference and Event Services:

1. The Senior Director of Conference Services and Special Events, or their designee, is responsible for notifying groups who have contracted through them for space of the evacuation procedures for all areas they will be occupying.
2. These groups must be notified of the evacuation procedures for the areas they will be occupying prior to the start of their event.

VIII. Fire Drills:

1. The New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, as well as other State and local regulations and ordinances, require that the University conduct inspections and fire drills of campus buildings.
2. These inspections and drills must conform to the regulatory requirements and must be properly documented.
3. When discrepancies and/or violations occur, they must be identified and corrected.
4. Violations include, but are not limited to:
   1. Failure of building occupants to exit a building;
   2. Disregard of fire alarms; and
   3. Disregard of a legitimate directive of police officers and other emergency personnel.

IX. Fire Prevention:

1. The University prohibits, without prior approval, the use of open flames (e.g., candles, incense, hot plates, bonfires, etc.) of any type, anywhere on campus, including sporting events.
2. Exceptions to this Policy can be found listed in the section “MONMOUTH UNIVERSITY LIST OF EXCEPTIONS REGARDING OPEN FLAMES.”
3. The procedure for obtaining approval requires the group to submit, in writing, a memorandum including the details of the event to the Dean, University Monmouth University Police Captain, Area Vice President, and department head.

X. Postings:

The Monmouth University Fire Evacuation Information Plaque shall be displayed in each department area within the building.

XI. Distribution:

This Fire Evacuation Policy and the Fire Evacuation Factsheet shall be distributed annually to all employees.

Procedures for Residential Life Staff to Assist in Evacuation of Residence Halls

1. In an effort to ensure safety and promote fire safety awareness in the residence halls, the following guidelines for staff have been developed to assist with evacuating the residence halls in the event of a fire alarm activation and/or actual fire.
   1. When an alarm is activated, contact the University Police Department at ext. 4444.
   2. The Residential Life Staff should immediately proceed to exit the building via the nearest exit on their floor.
      
      If possible and safety permits, the staff within the buildings, along with the staff on duty, should knock on the doors of the residents on their floor and direct the residents to exit the building.
   3. Never use the elevator. Close the door as you leave the area/room.
   4. The Head RA/RA should proceed to the front of the building and wait for the University police to arrive.
      
      If it has been determined by the University police that there is no imminent danger, the staff can assist the police with monitoring the residents as they exit the building.
   5. While outside, the University police and the Residential Life Staff should instruct all residents to remain at least 100 feet from the building.
   6. While assembled outside of the building, every effort should be made to determine if all residents have safely exited the building.
      
      This should be coordinated by the Resident Life Assistant on duty, the Head Residential Life Assistant of the building, and the Area Coordinator of the building, if possible.
   7. In the event of inclement weather, University police and Residential Life Staff shall make arrangements for those needing shelter to be moved as quickly as possible to other areas of shelter.
   8. Once the fire alarm has been cleared by the fire department or the University police and the system has been reset, the officers shall notify the Residential Life Staff and residents to reenter the building.
      1. Anyone found remaining in the building, or reentering the building prior to the building being cleared by the fire department, is subject to University disciplinary charges as well as criminal charges.
      2. It should also be noted that if the alarm was set off as a result of a prank, the University police will investigate and prosecute if warranted.

Monmouth University List of Exceptions Regarding Open Flames

1. Lighted candles shall be permitted for ceremonies, religious functions, cultural events, and honorary groups provided they have the written approval of the Monmouth University Police Captain.
   1. Lit candles shall never be left unsupervised.
   2. Candles shall be securely fixed in sturdy, approved candleholders or glass enclosures (Hurricane lamps, etc.)
2. Open flames used in assembly areas holding more than fifty (50) people shall secure written approval of the Monmouth University Police Captain and be in compliance with the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code 101/13.72.
3. Any open flames utilized by Facilities Management personnel in furtherance of their assigned duties.
4. Food service operations, such as portable cooking equipment, shall be placed on a non­combustive surface.
5. Laboratories are excluded from this policy, but extreme care should be exercised to ensure safe operations.
6. Tailgating at sporting events. However, the Monmouth University Police and/or representatives of local or state jurisdictions have the authority to stop or prevent unsafe acts or conditions.
7. Bonfires, with the prior approval of the West Long Branch Fire Marshall and Monmouth University Police Captain.
8. Open flame barbeque grills or propane tank barbeques for specific University events, such as Homecoming, with the necessary University approvals.
   1. The storage of propane or barbeque grills in any University- owned or -sponsored housing for students is strictly prohibited.
   2. The storage of propane or barbeque grills inside a University building requires the written approval of the Monmouth University Police Captain, and shall comply with NFPA 58.
9. Pyrotechnic and open-flame devices for special effects with the written approval of the Monmouth University Police Captain.

Consideration shall only be given for areas in which there are fire sprinklers.