Dorm and Residential Fire Safety
Summary
How to follow fire safety and prevention practices for dorms and Harvard residential buildings, including House buildings.
Who is this for?
Everyone who lives in or manages a Harvard dorm or residential building.
Fire safety in dorms and residential buildings
Use good judgment and follow fire safety rules to protect everyone in Harvard dorms and residential buildings.
Always be prepared for a fire or emergency evacuation by knowing:
- Emergency evacuation procedures.
- Locations of the primary and secondary emergency exits from your room.
- Location of the fire pull stations in the building.
- Your House and dorm central designated meeting location outside the building.
Each dorm room has smoke detectors to provide early warning of potential fires. Dorms have fire detection and fixed sprinkler systems, which provide the highest level of protection.
Harvard has periodic fire drills. Participating in fire drills helps you practice evacuating and could save your life.
⚠ During a fire
If you discover a fire or smoke in a building, follow steps to relocate, alarm, confine, and evacuate (RACE).
If a fire alarm activates, follow emergency evacuation procedures.
Preventing fires
Everyone in Harvard dorms and residential buildings must understand and follow these fire prevention measures:
- Always keep emergency exit doors in rooms and suites clear. Do not block either side of doors with furniture or anything else.
- Always keep fire doors closed unless they are held open by a device that closes the door if the fire alarm activates. Fire doors separate you from fire and smoke.
- Keep hallways and stairwells clear.
- Do not obstruct smoke detectors or hang anything from sprinkler heads or sprinkler piping.
- Only cook in authorized kitchenettes.
- Only use properly rated extension cords in good condition. Do not splice extension cords or run cords through doorways or partitions or cover cords with rugs.
- Do not overload electrical circuits, which have limited capacity. Plug approved appliances like refrigerators and stereo systems directly into wall outlets and never connect them to light sockets.
- Ensure refrigerators have proper ventilation to work safely. Do not install them in closets or bathrooms or cover them with materials like blankets or tablecloths.
- If an electrical appliance is declared unsafe for any reason, immediately remove it from the building.
- Report any fire hazards to your building manager, tutor, or proctor.
To reduce fire risks, Harvard prohibits these items and activities in dorms and residential buildings:
- All smoking and vaping.
- Abusing or tampering with fire alarms, smoke detectors, sprinklers, or fire extinguishers.
- Any flammable materials or their containers in Houses, dorm annexes, apartments, and common areas. This includes fireworks, gasoline, propane, and fuel-powered items like motorcycles and mopeds.
- Installing or using air conditioners without a physician’s written recommendation and approval from the Harvard College Accessible Education Office.
- Using cooking equipment (except Harvard-designated microfridges) in any room or apartment without permanent cooking facilities.
- Lighting candles or using open flames in dorm rooms or House common areas (students can only light candles in common areas if they have approval from the Faculty Dean and if the candles are always attended).
- Using halogen floor lamps in dorm rooms or House common areas.
- Using fireplaces in dorm rooms and suites.
Learn more
Contact EHS to learn more about dorm and residential fire safety, including:
- Carbon monoxide detectors.
- Christmas trees.
- Extension cords and power strips.
You can also share National Fire Protection Association home fire safety resources.