Stay Safe While Beating The Chill

It seems like the cold weather will never leave Boston. As you try to warm up from the bluster and cold, remember to say safe while doing so.

Candles, space heaters, sunlamps and electric blankets should be handled with care. Electric blankets, sunlamps and candles are prohibited in your residence hall rooms. If you are worried about the level of heat in your on-campus residence, talk with your Resident Assistant or Hall Director.

If you live off campus and are allowed to have electric blankets, space heaters or candles, you should be careful with how you use them. Make sure you blow out candles before leaving your apartment or falling asleep. If you do use candles off-campus, read these quick safety tips. Turn off lamps or space heaters when you are leaving a room or your apartment. These tips on heater safety are a quick read.

Also, no matter where you live, don’t toss a shirt or blanket over a lamp. Not only could the heat from the lamp ruin the fabric and destroy the shirt (money down the drain), it could start a fire.

If you live off campus, make sure your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working. Ask your landlord if you have questions about them. Don’t get in the habit of ignoring fire alarms and the like.

Know two ways out of your room, apartment and/or building in the event of an emergency. If you are not able to find two different ways of exit, ask your Resident Assistant, Hall Director or landlord for assistance.

If your off campus living situation seems unsafe (missing smoke detectors, broken fire escapes), bring them up with your landlord. In a situation where they are not remedying the situation, or if something just doesn’t feel right about the apartment’s safety, you can call the City of Boston’s Inspectional Services or the Town of Brookline’s Inspectional Services (depending upon where you live.)

For more fire safety tips, check out the University’s fire safety tips. Another good resource is Campus Fire Watch, an organization dedicated to preventing fires at and around colleges and universities.