SWAG��Ƶ

Action and Reporting Responsibilities in the Event of a Fire or Fire Hazard​

In the event of a small fire that can be quickly extinguished in a safe manner, the observer should act immediately to extinguish the fire.�� Immediately upon extinguishing the fire, a member of the Operations Department should be notified to inspect and assure the danger has been resolved OR to begin the evacuation drill.��

If the person observing the fire determines that the fire or other hazards are causing immediate danger, the observer should sound the fire alarm and follow the evacuation plan to exit the building.�� Anyone who observes a fire hazard should notify the Operations Department immediately.

Fire Alarm Information

Fire alarms can be sounded for many different reasons including an actual fire, an intentional activation, an accident during cleaning, smoke or steam of any type, or a defective detector.�� SWAG��Ƶalso conducts periodic fire drills to ensure that all building occupants understand the emergency exit process.�� It is important to evacuate the building during a fire alarm regardless of the cause.�� No one may re-enter the building after an alarm until the "all clear" has been sounded by the operations staff in charge or by emergency personnel.

In the event the fire alarm sounds, students shall proceed immediately to the nearest exit or stairwell leading to an exit to egress the building.�� Students, faculty, and staff should become familiar with the site-specific fire plans.�� Building occupants shall proceed at a walking (not running) pace and use caution to avoid injury to other persons when exiting.�� Building occupants should proceed to the designated outdoor safe zones and refrain from leaving until properly accounted for.��

Anyone knowingly activating an alarm without a fire or like emergency will be subject to action by the administration for unprofessional behavior.�� Fire alarms are present to help alert building occupants of an emergency, and false alarms contribute to apathy and complacency of residents placing them at risk in the future.

Evacuation of the Buildings

As part of VCOM’s fire safety procedures, students, faculty, and staff are provided with building evacuation maps.�� These are provided to all new employees upon hire and all first-year students at orientation.�� All students, faculty, and staff are also provided these maps annually.�� The evacuation maps show features of the building, including exits and stairway locations, and outline the evacuation route that should be used by building occupants according to where they are in the building.�� Evacuation plans exist for all SWAG��Ƶbuildings.�� Faculty, staff, and students should review and be familiar with the evacuation plans.

​All stairwell doors are considered fire doors in the SWAG��Ƶbuildings. Depending on the building construction, some interior doors are also fire doors. According to state fire prevention codes, all fire doors must remain closed at all times. When stairwell doors remain closed, they prevent smoke from entering the stairwell and provide a safe means of egress from the building. For this reason, propping fire doors open is not permitted.

Smoke Detectors and Sprinkler Systems

Smoke detectors are located in the main SWAG��Ƶbuildings and are important defenses against the spread of fire.�� Smoke detectors are tested semi-annually by a qualified fire alarm testing company.����

Sprinkler systems located in the main SWAG��Ƶbuildings are designed to assist in the containment and extinguishing of fires in those buildings. The sprinkler systems are tested annually by a fire alarm testing company according to applicable code requirements.

Fire Prevention

General safety precautions to prevent fire apply to all SWAG��Ƶbuildings and campuses.

The following guidelines apply to interior and exterior areas:

1. SWAG��Ƶdoes not allow burning of any kind without prior approval by operations. The use of bonfires, burning of brush or trash, or any other outside burning is strictly prohibited.
2. Occasional use of an approved barbecue grill or an approved outdoor fireplace may be given but must be cleared with operations to assure it meets the Fire and Safety Code. Hot ashes or smoldering coals from approved barbecue grills or outdoor fireplaces must be disposed of in non-combustible containers. In general, no other open flames will be allowed. All grills or approved outdoor fireplaces must be a minimum of 30 feet from any building.
3. Open flame indoor or outdoor decorations are prohibited with the exception of outdoor candles. Outdoor candles may be used 20 feet from the building and must be extinguished and disposed of properly in a non-combustible container. Indoor candles are prohibited.
4. Cigarettes, cigars, matches, lighters, and any other materials that may ignite a fire must be disposed of in a safe manner in a non-combustible container. As SWAG��Ƶfacilities are non-smoking facilities, all smoking within 30 feet of the building should be avoided. No smoking signs should not be removed. Faculty, staff, and students are expected to abide by SWAG��Ƶno-smoking policies.
5. Fuel containers under pressure are prohibited unless pre-approved and must not exceed 20 gallons when approved.
6. Accumulations of waste paper, straw, compacted cotton bales, litter, and/or overgrowth of vegetation is not permitted as this is considered a fire hazard.
7. Materials prone to spontaneous ignition must be stored in non-combustible containers.
8. Storage of combustible trash must not be kept and must be disposed of in a manner not to cause a hazard to the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
9. All containers over 5.88 cubic feet shall have a lid.
10. Dumpsters shall be kept at a distance of greater than 5 feet from any building.
11. In rare circumstances, candles are approved for use as décor in the SWAG��ƵII event center. In such cases, the candles must be in a safe container where there is not a danger of the spread of hot wax or fire. Immediately after or before the event ends, all fire must be extinguished in a safe manner and all candles removed in a non-combustible container. Candles are prohibited in aisles, halls or doorways.
12. Caterers must use any Bunsen burner or other flames to heat foods in a responsible manner and according to the Fire Code. Any open flame used for these purposes must be observed at all times. The caterers are responsible to remove all such Bunsen burners from premises when leaving and must dispose of them in a safe and responsible manner.
13. Batteries, battery chargers, floor scrubbers, or buffers, and any potentially flammable or igniting device must be stored properly and away from any combustible materials so as not to cause a fire hazard. All such items must be disposed of properly according to Virginia fire code. Operations should be notified prior to the disposal of any such items on college property.
14. Any refueling or fuel containers must be kept a minimum of 30 feet from the building and should not occur without notification of operations.
15. Storage, handling, and arrangement of potentially combustible materials shall be kept in an orderly fashion and away from heaters, heating devices, or other potential igniting sources.
16. Storage must not obstruct sprinkler systems and must be greater than 2 feet from ceiling height where sprinkler systems exist.
17. Toasters, fans, and portable space heaters are prohibited.
18. Coffee pots, microwaves, refrigerators are allowed only in pre-approved areas by operations. They must follow the recommended UL. Coffee pots must be unplugged daily and should not be left on throughout the day when not in active use.
19. Extension cords should not be used. Power bars may be used if they have surge protection. Wall units should not be overloaded.

SWAG��Ƶfollows all State and Local Fire and Safety Codes. The Operations department will make monthly unannounced walk-through inspections for potential fire hazards.

Decorations and Fire Safety

Guidelines for the types of decorations allowable in interior and exterior areas have been established to ensure consistency with any and all applicable rules, regulations, and codes in order to reduce the potential for safety and fire hazards, inside and outside of the facilities. Decorating for personalization and to celebrate holidays and other events is wholeheartedly supported; however, must fall within these requirements.

Interior Areas:��

1. Combustible materials may not be placed on the surface of entry doors, stairwells, or other exits Examples of combustible materials include, but are not limited to, paper of any kind, contact paper, and plastics.
2. The only exception to this is that a single memo or message board may be placed on a door facing a hallway.
3. Room numbers and name-signs should not be covered...
4. No materials of any kind may be hung from ceilings.
5. Only "cool" mini-lights are authorized for use in any of SWAG��Ƶbuildings. You must notify operations and demonstrate safe lighting prior to using any lights for decoration.
6. Flammable items such as fuel (propane, lamp oil, solvents, gasoline, etc.) may not be stored or used in any area of the buildings without prior notification of operations. The exception is RBII or other Research Facilities where such items may be used in the daily process of research. Operations will make periodic rounds to inspect such items to assure all safety precautions are being taken. Individual faculty and staff should notify operations of the existence of such items so safety measures can be taken.
7. Incense and candles are not allowed in the building.
8. Smoking is not permitted in any SWAG��Ƶfacility or on the Campus except in an individual’s car.
9. Posters, pictures, and any other type of decorations must not be placed around side-mounted sprinkler heads or smoke detectors.
10. Halogen lamps are no longer UL approved and are illegal to use anywhere.
11. Exit doors, hallways, stairwells, and other means of egress (exit) may not be obstructed in any way.
12. Combustible materials such as cotton batting, straw, dry vines, leaves, trees (cut or live), artificial flowers, shrubbery, and foam-type plastic materials shall not be used for decorative purposes in a quantity as to constitute a fire hazard. ��
13. No live or cut trees are permitted. Only artificial trees are permitted in the rooms and public areas where the tree may be placed so as not to block an exit or access to an exit.
14. Public area decorations may only be displayed for the time intervals noted below. All decorations must be disposed of, or stored, properly when not in use.
    1. Birthdays or other such individual celebrations: 72 hrs. (3 days)
    2. Christmas or Hanukah: The Monday after Thanksgiving until January 3rd.
    3. Halloween: Two weeks before Halloween until the day after Halloween
    4. Thanksgiving: The day after Halloween until the Monday after Thanksgiving break
    5. July 1 to 5th only.
    6. Other Holidays and religious events may be decorated with proper notification of operations.

Exterior Areas:

1. All exit doors and other means of egress shall not be obstructed.
2. All materials must be flame proof in an approved manner.
3. All lights or other electrical decorations must be rated for outdoor use and UL listed.
4. All extension cords must be rated for outdoor use and UL listed. No extension cords or other electrical cords may be run through doorways, windows, walls or above ceiling tiles. Only exterior outlets or approved power sources may be used.
5. Electronic access/ key card readers may not be obstructed.
6. Decorations/lights may not be strung or looped from window to window. Lights may be hung inside of the windows in accordance with the stated policy for use of "cool" mini-lights.
7. Public area decorations are subject to inspection by the College Operations staff and will be removed if deemed unsafe.