Annual Fire Safety Report & Residence Hall Fire Safety Policies : 2023

Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act became federal law with the passage of the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. The new law requires colleges and universities that maintain on-campus housing to compile fire data, report the data to the federal government, and publish an annual fire safety report that gives students, parents and the public current information about fires in on-campus housing. The following report has been prepared and made available to the Wesleyan University community in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act and the regulations by the U.S. Department of Education. 

Fire Reporting Policy - Manual Pull Stations - Fire Evacuation Policy - Fire Alarm and Evacuation Procedures - Fire Safety Policies - Fire Safety Inspections - Fire Drills - Education and Training Programs - Alarm Activation Log - Fire Safety Systems - Fire Statistics

Fire Reporting Policy

To report fires on campus call the Office of Public Safety at 860/685-3333 or Campus Ext. 3333 or dial 911 from any campus phone. If you also dial 911 directly from a cell phone, it will connect you to 911 Central Dispatch.  

Manual Pull Stations

Pulling the handle of a manual pull station activates the building fire alarm system in the event of an emergency. The pull station should only be used if there is an active fire or a smell of smoke, and the automatic fire alarm system has not yet activated. Evacuate the building immediately and call Public Safety or 911 to report the incident. Pull stations are located at every egress door in buildings that have an automatic fire alarm system. 

Fire Evacuation Policy

In the event of a fire alarm activation, you must evacuate the building by the closest exit and call 911 or Public Safety 860/685-3333 or Ext. 3333 from a campus phone to report the details of the incident if they are known. Once you have exited the building report to the designated meeting area for your particular location. Resident Advisors (RA’s) and House Managers (HM’s) are required to communicate to all of the residents where the designated meeting area is for the buildings they are responsible for.  Individuals should wait and must follow the instructions of Middletown Fire Department and/or Public Safety officers. No one may re-enter the building until directed to do so by Middletown Fire Department and/or Public Safety officers.

Fire Alarm and Evacuation Procedures

When a system connected fire alarm is activated, it is able to communicate in one of the two ways:

  1. The alarm sends a signal to the fire alarm monitoring company, which is then responsible for notifying the Middletown Fire Department and Public Safety, which is staffed 24/7
  2. or the alarm system notifies MFD directly. Officers from Public Safety will promptly respond to the scene to aid in evacuation and safety procedures. 
These procedures should be followed each time you hear an alarm:
  • Do not ignore the alarm. Everyone must evacuate.
  • Remain calm and proceed with an orderly evacuation
  • Leave the building immediately with your shoes, another garment (such as a jacket), and your keys.
  • Find the closest exit and go to your designated meeting location
  • Report any information you may have about the cause of the alarm activation to the Fire Department and/or Public Safety
  • Let the Fire Department and/or Public Safety know if someone that was in your building is not outside
  • Await further instructions from the Fire Department and/or Public Safety
  • Do not re-enter the building until the Fire Department and/or Public Safety direct you to do so. Silencing of the alarm does not imply the emergency is over. 

Fire Safety Policies

Do not cover, or in any way tamper with smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, pull stations, horn/strobe devices, sprinkler heads or pipes, or fire extinguishers. There points  issued for tampering with any fire life safety equipment.

The following items are not allowed in resident rooms or common areas, including porches, because of the fire and life safety risk:

  • Candles  - even decorative candles are prohibited
  • Incense - all forms including incense sticks (or "joss sticks"), cones, and pyramids are prohibited.
  • Used smoking materials - no smoking within 25' of any university building
  • Ungrounded extension cords (two-prong type); only grounded (three-prong type) extension cords and fused power strips are permitted
  • Plug adapters - 3 prong to 2 prong
  • Tapestries hanging on walls or ceilings; see definitions of prohibited items for more information.
  • Halogen lamps, both standing and desk lamps
  • Portable electric or space heaters
  • Cooking Appliances - which includes anything with a heating element, such as hot plate, electric kettle, electric frying pan or wok, toaster or toaster oven, waffle maker, electric grill, popcorn popper, rice cooker, etc. (Cooking appliances are allowed in apartment, wood frame and program house kitchens)
  • Coffee makers and water kettles are only allowed if they have an automatic shut-off.
  • Charcoal or Gas Grills are not allowed in any university-owned houses or residences, or on porches or balconies at any time (i.e. grills cannot be stored on porches)
  • Vaporizers - the type that uses a ceramic heating element to diffuse aromatherapy herbs and oils
  • Open Flame Devices or any Combustible Fuel - Devices included - tiki torches, kerosene or propane lamps. Combustible fuel is defined as lighter fluid, tiki torch fluid, & gasoline.
  • Open burning - bonfires, camp fires, fire pits, etc. (Also prohibited by City of Middletown ordinance)
  • Explosives, ammunition, incendiary devices and fireworks ($500 fine)
  • Mercury thermometers – due to the potential environmental hazard and significant clean-up costs associated with a mercury spill or contamination, mercury thermometers are prohibited in any student residence
  • Smoke/fog machines – a device emits a dense vapor that appears similar to fog or smoke.
  • Hover boards and other battery operated scooters - these have been known to use lithium-ion batteries that can malfunction and overheat, which can result in a fire.
  • Wax Warmers - Although fire danger from an open flame is eliminated, there are still several reasons why wax warmers are considered a fire safety hazard - those include - overheating of warming plate or electrical outlet & burn hazards associated with hot wax.
  • String Lights - cannot be plugged in through windows/doors and/or hung on safety devices

Fire Safety Inspections

University staff will conduct unannounced room inspections throughout the academic year. Residents will receive point(s) for each violation, and prohibited items will be confiscated. Candles, incense and extension cords will not be returned, contact Campus Fire Safety for other confiscated items. A receipt will be given to you, or left in your room, notifying you of any violations and/or fines.

Fire Drills

Supervised fire drills are conducted in each residence hall 2 times a year (once a semester). All drills are supervised by a Middletown Fire Marshal, Residential Life staff, and Campus Fire Safety staff. 

Fire Safety Education and Training Programs

All residents are required to attend a meeting in their residence hall at the beginning of the school year to discuss fire safety, fire evacuation plans, and rules and regulations of the residence hall. 

All students sign a housing contract which states that Fire Safety Guidelines are also part of your Housing Contract. 

Students are encouraged to review the Code of Non-Academic Conduct, which can be found online in the Student Handbook.

Head Residents (HRs), Resident Advisors (RAs), House Managers (HMs), and Community Advisors (CAs) who are supervised by the professional Area Coordinator (AC) staff go through several weeks of training in August, before the academic year, including training in fire safety procedures and policies. 

Fire Safety Seminars for students that have received a fine for a fire safety violation, they are able to attend a fire safety seminar in lieu of payment of up to $50 of fines. Seminars are done by Campus Fire Safety Department in conjunction with Residential Life. Seminars cover topics such as fire safety policies and procedures as well as giving instructions on how to use a fire extinguisher. 

Fire Extinguisher Training module- Campus Fire Safety Department offers training on how to properly use a fire extinguisher by using a training module created by BullEx. This training is offered to Students, Faculty, and Staff members. The module allows them to use a fire extinguisher to put out an actual fire and is offered many times throughout the academic year.   

Fire Alarm Activation Log

The Department of Campus Fire Safety in conjunction with the Public Safety Department maintains the records of all alarm activations and fires that occur on campus. The log contains the following information: date, location name, and address, type of alarm, cause/reason, contact information, notes, injuries, and value of property damage. The log is organized by the date the alarm occurred. Public Safety is responsible for writing up a report and emailing it to the Campus Fire Safety Department where the data is then entered into the log. 

Fire Safety Systems

All Fire Safety systems information is held on a database and maintained by the Campus Fire Safety Department. All residence halls have a fire alarm system that report to a monitoring company or directly to the Middletown Fire Department. A portion of the wood frame properties have a sprinkler system and fire alarm system that is monitored, a complete list of those locations can be found in Campus Fire Safety department office. All other wood frame houses have local smoke detectors in all bedrooms and common spaces. All residential buildings have fire extinguishers in kitchen and mechanical spaces. 

The following Residence Halls have monitored fire alarms and sprinkler systems:

Location Name Location # Address
Bennet Hall 35 Foss   Hill Drive
Butterfield A 25 Lawn   Avenue
Butterfield B 20 Huber   Avenue
Butterfield C 50 Huber   Avenue
Clark Hall 268 Church   Street
Fauver Apartments 19 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 1 - Westco 18 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 2 - Westco 18 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 3 - Westco 18 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 4 - Westco 18 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 5 - Nicolsen 57 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 6 - Nicolsen 57 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 7 - Nicolsen 57 Foss   Hill Drive
Foss 8 - Hewitt 31 McConaughy Drive
Foss 9 - Hewitt 31 McConaughy   Drive
Foss 10 - Hewitt 31 McConaughy   Drive
200 Church   Street
High Rise 110 Church   Street
Low Rise A 233 William   Street
Low Rise B 233 William   Street
Low Rise C 233 William   Street
Low Rise D 233 William   Street
Low Rise E 233 William   Street

Fire Statistics

Calendar Year 2023
Location Cause/Reason Fire related Deaths Fire related Injuries Value of property damage
261 B Pine St Stove top - dirty drip pan 0 0 $0
36 B Brainerd Ave Stove - owner's manual inside 0 0 $0
Calendar Year 2022
Location Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
88 Home Stove - cooking 0 0 $700
115B Cross Stove - towel on cook top 0 0 $0
115B Cross Stove - cooking 0 0 $700
Calendar Year 2021
Location Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
Foss 9 Electrical fire in bathroom 0 0 $2300
39 Brainerd Stove - cooking 0 0 $700
202 Washington Stove - cooking 0 0 $700
Fauver Apts Microwave - cooking 0 0 $0
Foss 3 Electrical fire in bathroom 0 0 $1000
Low Rise A9 Stove - cooking 0 0 $700

Calendar Year 2020

Location Cause/Reason Fire related deaths Fire related injuries Value of property damage
162 C Church St Stove - cooking 0 0 $1,000
251 B Pine St Stove - cooking - Sprinkler activated 0 0 $18,974
Foss 7 - Nicolson Trash can (smoking) - Sprinkler activated 0 0 $20,685
Calendar Year 2019
Location Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire related Injuries Value of property damage
148 D Church St Oven fire 0 0 $800
56 Fountain Ave Oven fire 0 0 $900
41 Fountain Ave Oven fire 0 0 $800
64 Lawn Ave Oven fire 0 0 $200
264 B Court St Stove fire 0 0 $300
Clark Hall Stove fire 0 0 $200
Calendar Year: 2018
Location Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
57 Brainerd Furnace Malfunction 0 0 $2,500
200 Church St Ash smoldering in trash 0 0 $0.00
65 Lawn Ave Electrical Fire 0 0 $33,421
66 Home Ave Toaster fire 0 0 $0.00
Butterfield C Exterior back-up generator malfunction 0 0 $3,000
344 Washington St Microwave fire 0 0 $100
264 B Court Candle - small paper fire 0 0 $0.00
356 Washington St Furnace fire 0 0 $11,000
34 Fountain Ave Oven fire 0 0 $800
Calendar Year: 2017
Location Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
Clark Hall Student used lighter to warm food, container caught on fire 0 0 $0.00
Fauver Apts Candle that student had lite caught window dressing, mattress, and wall on fire 0 0 $4,000
163 High St Small stove fire due to cooking 0 0 $500
163 High St Incense that student had lite caught window shade on fire and personal items 0 0 $300
182 Cross Small stove fire due to cooking 0 0 $500
Butterfield A Small stove fire due to cooking 0 0 $500
Calendar Year: 2016
Location Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
102 Knowles Small stove fire due to cooking 0 0 $0.00
163 High St
Hood fan caught fire - cooking 0 0 $150
11 Vine
Small stove fire due to cooking 0 0 $0.00
Bennet Hall
Small trash fire due to cigarette 0 0 $0.00
Calendar Year: 2015
Location Cause/Reason  Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
Foss 9 - Hewitt Electrical fire in bathroom 0 0 $2000
170 Cross St Hood fan caught fire 0 0 $400
65 Lawn Ave Microwave 0 0 $50
102 Knowles stove –  dirty 0 0 $0.00
163 High St Hood fan caught fire  0 0 $400
Calendar Year: 2014
Location Cause/Reason  Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
200 High St Reckless   burning 0 0 $1,500

Butterfield B

Trash can fire due to cigarettes 0 0 $0.00
84 Home Ave Hood fan caught fire  0 0 $150
267 C Court St plastic in stove 0 0 $500
59 Pearl St oven – dirty 0 0 $150
142 Cross St Halogen lamp 0 0 $0.00
Calendar Year: 2013
Location Cause/Reason  Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
High Rise  Trash can fire due to cigarettes 0 0 $0.00
269 B Pine St Trash can fire due to cigarettes 0 0 $0.00
269 A Pine St Olive oil on stove caught on fire 0 0 $0.00
107 Cross St plastic on burner 0 0 $0.00
Calendar Year: 2012
Location Cause/Reason  Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries Value of property damage
High Rise  Hood fan caught fire  0 0 $400
Bennet Hall  student lit papers on fire 0 0 $300
273 Pine St trash can - ash from smoking 0 0 $0.00
Alpha Delt student set small trash can on fire 0 0 $0.00
58 Fountain Ave Electrical - Stove 0 0 $3,000
Calendar Year: 2011
Location  Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries  Value of property damage 
132 High St Camping stove caught fire 0 0 $0.00
230 Washington St Stove fire 0 0 $3,000
Calendar Year: 2010
Location  Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries  Value of property damage 
65 A Pearl St electrical fire- ITS equipment 0 0 $0.00
200 High St trash container due to cigarette 0 0 $0.00
344 Washington St Small flames - hot water heater  0 0 $2,235
Fauver Apartments Kitchen fire due to cooking oil 0 0 $500
Calendar Year: 2009
Location  Cause/Reason Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries  Value of property damage 
Clark Hall Dryer vent-walls caught fire in Laundry room 0 0 $10,000
200 Church St trash container due to cigarette  0 0 $0.00
Foss 10 - Hewitt Scarf thrown onto lamp  0 0 $0.00
128 A Church St Oil in pan caught on fire. 0 0 $0.00
128 B Church St Oil in pan caught on fire. 0 0 $0.00
High Rise  Sticker left on new pan  0 0 $0.00
High Rise Put cardboard pizza box in oven 0 0 $400
Foss 3 - Westco Wood to close to vent fan caught fire 0 0 $150
Low Rise C plastic kettle put on stove caught fire 0 0 $470
Calendar Year: 2008
Location  Cause/Reason  Fire Related Deaths Fire Related Injuries  Value of property damage 
132 High St kettle left unattended on stove 0 0 $0.00
Calendar Year: 2007
1 B Vine St potholder left on stove 0 0 $400
42 Fountain Ave cheese in toaster oven 0 0 $0.00
Fauver Apartments plastic on burner 0 0 $0.00
1 C Vine St Paper Fire from incense 0 0 $0.00
15 Fountain Ave Oven fire 0 0 $0.00

 

Plans for future improvements in fire safety

Wesleyan University will continue to upgrade and install more fire alarms and sprinkler systems on an annual basis. Ongoing fire safety education will be provided to students, faculty and staff by the Campus Fire Safety Department as well as the Middletown Fire Department. Wesleyan will also continue to offer ongoing training opportunities to the MFD with use the use of our buildings.