Author: Scott Murray

Wichita State Fire and Safety and Meyers Automatic Fire Protection will conduct annual testing on the fire sprinkler systems throughout the campus. The testing will begin the week of Monday, March 25 and continue until completed.

Annual fire sprinkler testing is required by state law and is vital in keeping WSU safe.

Interruptions to classes and daily business will try to be avoided but may occur. If an alarm is sounded, occupants should treat it as an actual alarm unless informed by Fire and Safety or the contractor that evacuation is not necessary.

Questions can be directed to WSU Fire Safety Inspectors Scott Murray at 316-978-5803 or Dennis Moore at 316-978-5531.

Wichita State Fire and Safety and Meyers Automatic Fire Protection will be conducting annual testing on the fire sprinkler systems throughout the campus. The testing will begin the week of Monday, March 27 and continue until completed.

Annual fire sprinkler testing is required by state law and is vital in keeping WSU safe.

Interruptions to classes and daily business will try to be avoided but may occur. If an alarm is sounded, occupants should treat it as an actual alarm unless informed by Fire and Safety or the contractor that evacuation is not necessary.

Questions can be directed to Fire and Safety Coordinators Scott Murray at 316-978-5803 or Dennis Moore at 316-978-5531.

The cooler weather is finally upon us, and with the drop in temperature comes the use of space heaters. Each year, about 1,700 fires, 80 deaths and 160 injuries are caused by portable space heaters, as estimated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Space heaters also use considerably more energy than other heating sources.

WSU Fire Safety would like to remind you that the use of space heaters is prohibited in campus buildings. Please remove all space heaters from campus buildings, whether they are in use or not. Please review WSU Policies 11.20 Space Heaters and 11.27 HVAC Systems Standards.

Wichita State’s Fire Safety and Sandifer Engineering will begin annual fire alarm testing during October. Testing for most facilities will be done between the hours of 11 p.m.-7 a.m. The tests should cause little to no interruption to any businesses or classes. For more information, contact Fire Safety at 316-978-5531 or 316-978-5803.

As the new school year begins, Wichita State and other college students across the country are returning to campuses as in-person learning resumes for many higher education institutions. Through their annual Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign in September, the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®) and the Center for Campus Fire Safety (CCFS) are working together to help ensure living spaces are safe for students.

Every September, Campus Fire Safety Month helps raise awareness about the threat of fires in both on- and off-campus housing and puts relevant information into the hands of students, their parents, campus housing staff and administrators.

According to data from CCFS, from January 2000 to April 2022, 94 fatal fires have been documented that claimed 134 lives on college campuses, in Greek housing or at off-campus housing within three miles of campus. Of the 94 fires documented, 38 were accidental and involved cooking, candles, smoking or electrical equipment, and took the life of 51 students.

NFPA research shows that September and October are the peak months for campus fires, particularly during the hours between 5-9 p.m.

“As students return to college life this fall, we encourage them to review fire safety tips to learn how to prevent fires; the more prepared we are, the more we can do to reduce fire risk,” said Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of outreach and advocacy and CCFS advisory council member. “Campus Fire Safety Month provides a great opportunity to share materials and action steps and to foster a culture of awareness and preparedness about fire safety on our college campuses.”

These tips from NFPA and CCFS can help students reduce the risk of fires and save lives:

• Know and practice your building’s evacuation plan and look for alternate routes out of the building.
• Cook in intended areas only and never leave cooking equipment unattended when in use, even briefly.
• Test smoke alarms monthly in an apartment or a house. Ensure smoke alarms are installed in all sleeping areas, outside of all sleeping areas and on every level of the apartment or house. Never remove or disable smoke alarms.
• Keep combustible items away from heat sources and never overload electrical outlets, extension cords or power strips. Many fires are caused by portable light and heat sources, like space heaters and halogen lamps.
• Keep common areas and hallways free of possessions and debris. Never block exit routes.

For more information about the Campus Fire Safety for Students campaign and to find free resources, visit the NFPA website or the CCFS website.

Students, faculty and staff can also contact the WSU Fire Safety office at 316-978-5803 or 5531.

Shocker students, faculty and staff who ride electric unicycles on campus, please be aware of the following warning from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The CPSC urges consumers to stop using the unicycles with model number KS-16S immediately and dispose of them at a recycling facility or household hazardous waste collection point.

CPSC is aware of one fire associated with the electric unicycles that resulted in smoke inhalation injuries to two consumers and caused substantial property damage to a commercial building. The CPSC tested the product and determined the battery pack can overheat and presents a fire risk.

The electric unicycles are made by King Song Intell Co. Ltd., of China, and are imported and sold by EWheels LLC, of Miami Beach, Florida, and other firms.

King Song and EWheels have refused to recall the product.

The unicycle has King Song printed on the the pedals. The electric unicycles are white, silver, matte black or black with a black tire and have multi-colored lights that light up on the outside of the unit when in use. The serial number of affected products begins with “KS16S.”  The serial number is printed on a label on both pedals. The model number KS-16S is represented by KS16S at the beginning of the serial number.

CPSC urges consumers not to purchase or sell these electric unicycles due to the hazard identified. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury visit the www.SaferProducts.gov website.

For more information on recalls and consumer safety information or to sign up for direct recall
notifications, please visit www.cpsc.gov website.

Wichita State’s Fire Safety and contractors will be conducting fire alarm system testing and maintenance throughout March beginning March 7. These tests cause little to no interruption of business and classes during this period.   

For more information, contact Scott Murray at scott.murray@wichita.edu.

Holiday safety is an issue that burns brightest from late November to mid-January when students, faculty, and staff gather for holiday parties and decorate their offices or rooms. Decorating is one of the best ways to get in the holiday spirit, but fires and injuries caused by improper use of electrical decorations such as lights, candles or other open flames can injure or kill. To avoid these incidences, members can take basic precautions to ensure their safety throughout the season:

• Decorations of all types shall be either non-combustible or adequately treated to render them fire-resistant.  Decorations are allowed 14 calendar days before the holiday or event. All decorations are expected to be removed no later than seven calendar days after the holiday or event. Artificial wrapped presents kept on the floor are limited to lobby areas. Keep wrapping paper on artwork to a minimum (i.e., less than 10% of the wall). The use of trees or wreaths shall be restricted to artificial types containing a Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or (Factory Mutual) (FM) tag or seal indicating satisfactory fire resistance. No live or cut trees or wreaths are allowed. Do not use strings of lights on metal trees.
• Streamers, garlands, lights and other decorations cannot run along or across halls, obstruct or restrict aisles, passageways, or corridors; be hung from smoke detectors or sprinkler heads or obstruct exits signs, fire extinguishers or other fire equipment. Holiday lighting strings must be double insulated or grounded and have an approval rating from either UL or FM. A maximum of three strands may be connected together. No extension cords shall be used to light strings of lights, only a circuit breaker-protected power strip shall be used.
• Decorations may not be attached to doors, walls, or painted surfaces by any methods which would damage the surface or leave behind adhesive residue (i.e., low adhesive masking tape is preferred). Any costs associated with damage caused by the installation or removal of decorative materials will be the responsibility of the department.
• Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, the following list:
• • Latex balloons, silly-string, bubbles, glitter, confetti, rice or birdseed.
  • Fireworks (including sparklers) or weapons of any kind.
  • Live animals (except for those assisting individuals with disabilities).
  • Any item with an open flame such as candles or incense.
  • Decorative materials may not be placed on fire doors, smoke doors, light fixtures, electrical equipment, electrical outlets, circuit breaker panels, etc.
  • Cut trees, tree branches, pinecones, wreaths, mistletoe, and live potted plants. Artificial trees, wreaths, and other seasonal decorations must be fire or flame-retardant. It is the department’s responsibility to save packaging material as proof to the fire marshal that decorative materials have received flame-retardant treatment.

The following list of materials may not be used for decorations under any circumstances because they are inherently combustible or cannot be flame proofed:

• Bamboo
• Cedar trees or branches
• Corn stalks or shucks
• Cotton or confetti (loose, in large quantities)
• Dry moss or leaves
• Flammable powders or liquids
• Hay or straw (loose or baled)
• Paper streamers (serpentine)
• Plastic sheeting or pellets
• Sawdust
• Tumbleweeds
• Wood Bark or shavings

For more information, please contact the WSU Fire & Safety Office at 316-978-5803 or 5531.

Wichita State Fire Safety will be testing the fire sprinkler systems between 3  and 11 p.m. Friday, July 30. The following buildings will be affected:

• Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD)
• Hughes Metropolitan Complex
• Airbus (PB1)
• Jerry Moran Center AVET
• Donald L. Beggs Hall
• Clinton Hall
• Duerksen Fine Arts Center
• Elliot Hall
• Garvey International Center
• Marcus Welcome Center
• Wallace Hall
• Wilner Auditorium
• Woodman Alumni

The test will cause the fire alarm to sound for a short time. If the alarm sounds for more than 30 seconds. Occupants should evacuate as a precaution and avoid re-entry until there is no emergency determined. The tests are state-required. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.