QUINCY, Mass. — As move-in season brings students back to campuses nationwide, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and The Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) are launching this year’s Campus Fire Safety Month campaign to help create safer living environments in residence halls and off-campus housing.
Observed each September, the campaign delivers fire safety education and resources to students, families and campus housing professionals, according to the NFPA announcement.
This year, the initiative “shines the spotlight on safe cooking practices and lithium-ion battery safety, two critical areas of concern that can help reduce fire risk where students live, study and gather,” the announcement says.
Why Does NFPA Emphasize Campus Fire Safety?
According to the latest NFPA statistics, from 2020 to 2024, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 3,198 structure fires in dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses and other related properties. These incidents caused annual averages of two civilian deaths, 20 million civilian injuries and $20 million in direct property damage.
Roughly three out of four fires in these properties started in the kitchen or cooking area, accounting for 58 percent of civilian injuries and 14 percent of the direct property damage. Cooking equipment was involved in nearly eight out of 10 fires; unattended equipment was the most common factor contributing to the ignition of these fires.
“The excitement of moving into a new dorm or apartment often comes with new responsibilities including preparing meals safely,” says Lorraine Carli, vice president of outreach and advocacy at NFPA and CCFS Advisory Council member, in the joint announcement.
“Cooking remains one of the most significant fire risks in student housing, with unattended cooking continuing to be the leading cause,” she says. “Campus Fire Safety Month is an opportunity to remind students that small actions such as staying in the kitchen while cooking and keeping anything that can burn away from the stovetop, can prevent devastating fires.”
NFPA and CCFS offer several tips and resources for cooking safely, including these key messages:
- Stay alert and present. Do not cook if you’re tired or drowsy from medicine or alcohol. Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, boiling, grilling, or broiling food. Turn off the burner if you leave the kitchen for any reason.
- Keep flammables away from heat sources. Keep anything that can catch fire – oven mitts, wooden utensils, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
- Be prepared for emergencies. Always have a lid within reach to smother small grease fires. Turn off the burner. Do not move the pan. To keep the fire from restarting, leave the lid on until the pan has cooled. If you have any doubt about fighting a small fire, get outside, close the door behind you, and call 911 from outside the home.
The Growing Danger of Lithium-Ion Batteries on Campus
This year’s campaign also addresses another growing fire safety challenge on campus: lithium-ion batteries. As their use continues to expand in everything from laptops and phones to e-bikes and e-scooters, so does the importance of understanding how to use and charge them safely.
“Lithium-ion batteries are prevalent in the campus environment from laptops to research projects,” says CCFS president and University of Maryland fire marshal Alan Sactor in the joint announcement. “College students rely on technology and many use micromobility devices every day.
“The batteries that power these devices can present safety hazards such as overheating, fire or even explosions “Campus Fire Safety Month is a year-round commitment and we will continue working to help educate all members of the college and university campus community on how to safely use, charge and store these devices to reduce the risk of fire,” he says.
NFPA and CCFS offer tips for safely using, storing, and charging lithium-ion batteries to help prevent fires:
- Review campus policies. Some dormitories have rules about charging micromobility devices like e-bikes and e-scooters. Review your college/university’s policies before using these devices.
- Buy only listed products. When buying a product that uses a lithium-ion battery, look for a safety certification mark. This means it meets important safety standards.
- Charge devices safely. Only use the charging equipment provided with your device, stop charging once full, and never charge overnight or with damaged chargers/batteries.
- Store devices properly. Keep your batteries away from extreme temperatures, direct sunlight, and flammable items, and never block an exit with charging or stored devices.
