Fire, Health, and Safety
Each residence is equipped with fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. To ensure that no hall or mod ever needs to use them, the housing operations office (HOO) provides the following:
Information
Education and Outreach
Inspections
Fire Alarms
Fire Drills
Information
More information about Hampshire's fire safety policies can be found in the online student handbook.
For updates, regularly check your email, common area posters, and like our Facebook page.
Education and Outreach
HOO will present fire, health, and safety demonstrations and seminars each semester for the Hampshire community. We welcome any questions regarding fire, health, and safety and are available to discuss related issues during HOO business hours. Halls and mods that have no fire, health, and safety violations for an entire semester will be acclaimed, honored, applauded, and rewarded...with treats!
Inspections
Housing operations will perform regular residential inspections. We do weekly walk-through inspections of stairwells, donut centers, dorm hallways, and outsides of residences. Inspections of dorm lounges and mod common areas will be done by HOO staff once a semester. Bedroom inspections will be performed by resident advisors at the beginning of the year, and will be repeated by professional house staff during winter shutdown.
If a fire, health, or safety violation is noted:
1. Students will be asked to correct the violation within 48 hours.
2. After 48 hours the area will be re-inspected. If a violation has been removed or corrected, no further action will be necessary.
3. If violation remains, housing operations will submit a work order for facilities and grounds to correct the problem. Students will be billed for any work done. The area coordinator will be notified and may proceed with disciplinary action.
Fire Alarms
When a residential smoke alarm sounds, all residents must evacuate. If the fire alarm activates and an individual knows the cause, this individual is required to call Campus Safety and Wellbeing from a safe location and explain what happened. If the fire alarm is activated by mistake (cooking smoke, shower steam, cigarette smoke, etc.), the individual responsible must be available to talk to Campus Safety and Wellbeing and the fire department.
Sanctions for negligent smoke alarms:
1st alarm: Warning
2nd alarm: 10 hours of community service
3rd alarm: 20 hours of community service
Additional alarm: Removal from housing where cooking is allowed.
Sanction is given to the individual responsible for the alarm. If individual responsibility cannot be determined, then each individual who can be assigned responsibility for the offense receives the full sanction.
If the alarm is not caused by cooking smoke but rather smoke from a prohibited activity, then the sanctions related to the prohibited activity drive the sanctioning process. The negligent smoke alarm will be factored in as an additional violation of community norms.
If a student does not comply with the community service sanction, then the dollar amount can be charged as a consequence for the alarm, along with the disciplinary status of house probation for the alarm and the failure to comply
Fire Drills
Fire drills will be conducted regularly to ensure that all residents understand proper evacuation procedures. It is important that students are familar with the locations designated for their specific residence to gather for roll call.
Dakin House: Bocci court in Dakin/Merrill Quad
Merrill House: Outside F and G Entrance of Dakin House
Prescott House: Sidewalk at Community Garden
Enfield House: Southeast corner of Emily Dickinson Hall
Greenwich House: Chain on sidewalk to RCC beyond Greenwich Gazebo