National Campus Fire Safety Month Quiz/Sweepstakes Raises Student Awareness of Cooking Fire Hazards on College Campuses During September and October
Quincy, MA - September 1, 2016 - September is Campus Fire Safety Month and this year the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and The Center for Campus Fire Safety (The Center) are teaming up to host their second national campaign with an online Campus Fire Safety Quiz & Sweepstakes (Quiz) titled, “What Kind of Cook are You in the Kitchen?” The Quiz raises awareness about the dangers of cooking fires among college-aged students who live in on- and off-campus housing.
“What Kind of Cook are You in the Kitchen?” College-aged students are asked to test their cooking fire safety knowledge through an interactive quiz and enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win an American Express gift card.
The report also states that newer dormitories are more likely to have kitchens in suite-style apartments rather than more traditional dorms, further increasing the potential for cooking-related fires.
“With more access to kitchens, students are making more meals or snacks using stoves and ovens, often for the first time and without proper training,” said Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA. “The campaign encourages students living on- and off-campus to know the risks and the preventative actions that can save their lives.”
The Quiz, available online from September 1 – 30 on The Center’s website, targets students currently enrolled in an institution of higher education. By participating, students will be able to recognize unsafe practices and learn appropriate ways to cook meals that will reduce the risk for injury and damage caused by fire. Students who complete the Quiz will be entered into a sweepstakes where two winners will be randomly selected to receive a $500 American Express gift card.
According to Michael J. Swain, president of The Center for Campus Fire Safety, encouraging students to share this information with their peers will send a strong fire safety message that will be remembered going forward. “With the beginning of the school year,” he says, “The Center continues its mission to make campuses and off-campus housing safer for students. We were pleased to see there were no student deaths in the 2015-2016 school year.”
From 2000 through October 2014, however, The Center states that 126 students died in 89 fires on college campuses, in Greek housing, or in privately owned off-campus housing within three miles of the campus. Of those, 107 deaths occurred in fires in off-campus housing.
The campaign provides a host of resources for students, parents and fire safety educators that focus on the dangers of cooking. The resources have been designed for sharing via social media, on college websites, and for posting in dorms and on common area bulletin boards. They include:
- Videos
- Checklists
- Tips sheets
- Infographics and flyers
- Posters
Learn more about the Quiz/Sweepstakes here. Find additional resources for students, parents and fire safety educators here.
About the Center for Campus Fire Safety
The Center for Campus Fire Safety (The Center) is a non-profit 501C3 organization. The Center is a member-based organization devoted to reducing the loss of life from fire on and off campuses. The mission of The Center is to serve as an advocate for the promotion of campus fire safety. The Center serves as the focal point for the efforts of a number of organizations and also as a clearinghouse for information relating to campus fire safety. Visit us at www.campusfiresafety.org