§ 668.49 - Institutional fire safety policies and fire statistics.

§ 668.49 Institutional fire safety policies and fire statistics.

(a) Additional definitions that apply to this section.

Cause of fire: The factor or factors that give rise to a fire. The causal factor may be, but is not limited to, the result of an intentional or unintentional action, mechanical failure, or act of nature.

Fire: Any instance of open flame or other burning in a place not intended to contain the burning or in an uncontrolled manner.

Fire drill: A supervised practice of a mandatory evacuation of a building for a fire.

Fire-related injury: Any instance in which a person is injured as a result of a fire, including an injury sustained from a natural or accidental cause, while involved in fire control, attempting rescue, or escaping from the dangers of the fire. The term “person” may include students, employees, visitors, firefighters, or any other individuals.

Fire-related death: Any instance in which a person -

(1) Is killed as a result of a fire, including death resulting from a natural or accidental cause while involved in fire control, attempting rescue, or escaping from the dangers of a fire; or

(2) Dies within one year of injuries sustained as a result of the fire.

Fire safety system: Any mechanism or system related to the detection of a fire, the warning resulting from a fire, or the control of a fire. This may include sprinkler systems or other fire extinguishing systems, fire detection devices, stand-alone smoke alarms, devices that alert one to the presence of a fire, such as horns, bells, or strobe lights; smoke-control and reduction mechanisms; and fire doors and walls that reduce the spread of a fire.

Value of property damage: The estimated value of the loss of the structure and contents, in terms of the cost of replacement in like kind and quantity. This estimate should include contents damaged by fire, and related damages caused by smoke, water, and overhaul; however, it does not include indirect loss, such as business interruption.

(b) Annual fire safety report. Beginning by October 1, 2010, an institution that maintains any on-campus student housing facility must prepare an annual fire safety report that contains, at a minimum, the following information:

(1) The fire statistics described in paragraph (c) of this section.

(2) A description of each on-campus student housing facility fire safety system.

(3) The number of fire drills held during the previous calendar year.

(4) The institution's policies or rules on portable electrical appliances, smoking, and open flames in a student housing facility.

(5) The institution's procedures for student housing evacuation in the case of a fire.

(6) The policies regarding fire safety education and training programs provided to the students and employees. In these policies, the institution must describe the procedures that students and employees should follow in the case of a fire.

(7) For purposes of including a fire in the statistics in the annual fire safety report, a list of the titles of each person or organization to which students and employees should report that a fire occurred.

(8) Plans for future improvements in fire safety, if determined necessary by the institution.

(c) Fire statistics.

(1) An institution must report statistics for each on-campus student housing facility, for the three most recent calendar years for which data are available, concerning -

(i) The number of fires and the cause of each fire;

(ii) The number of persons who received fire-related injuries that resulted in treatment at a medical facility, including at an on-campus health center;

(iii) The number of deaths related to a fire; and

(iv) The value of property damage caused by a fire.

(2) An institution is required to submit a copy of the fire statistics in paragraph (c)(1) of this section to the Secretary on an annual basis.

(d) Fire log.

(1) An institution that maintains on-campus student housing facilities must maintain a written, easily understood fire log that records, by the date that the fire was reported, any fire that occurred in an on-campus student housing facility. This log must include the nature, date, time, and general location of each fire.

(2) An institution must make an entry or an addition to an entry to the log within two business days, as defined under § 668.46(a), of the receipt of the information.

(3) An institution must make the fire log for the most recent 60-day period open to public inspection during normal business hours. The institution must make any portion of the log older than 60 days available within two business days of a request for public inspection.

(4) An institution must make an annual report to the campus community on the fires recorded in the fire log. This requirement may be satisfied by the annual fire safety report described in paragraph (b) of this section.

(Approved by the Office of Management and Budget under control number 1845-NEW3)

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1092)

[74 FR 55946, Oct. 29, 2009]