Fire and life safety for MIT’s residential population are critical elements of MIT’s emergency planning and Environment, Health and Safety Management System. All residence halls are protected by automatic fire sprinkler systems in common areas and most dorm rooms. All residence hall fire alarms transmit a signal to MIT’s 24/7 Operations Center and are immediately reported to the fire department via a dedicated telephone line for immediate response. All common areas, elevators, and hallways contain smoke detectors that are transmitted at all times to the Operations Center and fire department. Individual rooms are equipped with local fire smoke detectors to prevent nuisance alarms from causing unnecessary building evacuations.
Each residence hall has a detailed Emergency Preparedness Plan which includes information on fire alarms, evacuations, meeting points during evacuations, shelter in place instructions, fire marshals, and other items. Copies of these plans can be obtained from each hall’s House Manager or from the Division of Student Life’s EHS Risk Manager. In addition, each dorm will have basic fire safety information posted on their webpages including meeting points in the event of an evacuation in good or inclement weather. Basic evacuation information is also posted on the back of every bedroom door and an evacuation map is posted by each elevator or stairwell where no elevator exists.
Graduate Resident Tutors (GRTs) who reside in the halls are trained annually in MIT fire safety practices. MIT does not allow candles or cooking in bedrooms, and halogen lamps are only allowed if they have a protective grate. All MIT-provided furniture is fire resistant and must meet California Technical Bulletin 133 requirements. House Managers conduct annual fire safety inspections of all living areas, in addition to their continual monitoring of common spaces. Twice annually MIT and/or the Cambridge Fire Department conducts fire drills of all MIT residence halls.
When a fire alarm is activated in a dormitory, residents are required by law to evacuate to their designated meeting points. If responding fire fighters see people that have not evacuated, it is within their power to charge those who have not evacuated with a crime. Institute policy is to evacuate immediately, NOT to fight fires. Fire fighting should only be done by trained personnel. In the event of a shelter in place emergency, an announcement will be made over loudspeakers or bullhorns, or by staff going door to door. Generally speaking, a shelter in place emergency would require residents to stay in a safe area indoors and shut any windows and doors in their area. Specific information on shelter areas in each residence hall is included in the Emergency Preparedness Plans.
For more information on fire safety at MIT or in your residence hall, contact your House Manager, GRT, the DSL EHS Risk Manager, or the MIT’s EHS Office.
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