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Add Hero TitleFire Safety and Property Maintenance

The purpose of the Fraternity Fire Safety program is to promote life safety and property maintenance in off campus fraternity housing at Miami University. The program is designed to create a shared responsibility for education and enforcement of fire safety and house management between students living in fraternity houses, the university, and the City of Oxford. The program includes inspections, educational programs, enforcement, and recognition.

Partners

City of Oxford, Oxford Fire Department, Interfraternity Council, and the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

Program Goals

  1. Reduce fires in off-campus fraternity housing
  2. Maintain a positive fraternal image based off continual property maintenance
  3. Create a consistent fire department and City of Oxford presence with fire prevention and safety
  4. Encourage and assist fraternities in taking responsibility for ensuring their structures are safe

Inspections

Fire Department Inspection: The purpose of the Fire Department Inspection is to check building fire protection systems and to ensure the building meets the standard building fire code compliance. Life safety and other correctable code violations will be examined and recommendations will be made to students and property owners at time of inspection.

City Inspection: The purpose of the city inspection is to ensure that life safety components of the building are present, functional, and up to date. The city also inspects the property maintenance and housing codes.

Each chapter facility will have a total of four (4) inspections a year based off of the following schedule:

July Joint Fire and City Inspection for Property Owners: To make sure home owners and property managers are in communication with the town and fire department and to address any concerns with the property prior to the students moving back in August. House corporation representative/property manager must be in attendance, and a summer student resident is highly encouraged to be in attendance if available.

October Fire Department Inspection for Students: To make sure students understand the importance of fire safety within their chapter house. The student serving as house fire marshal or house manager and/or the chapter president should attend.

February City Inspection for Students: To allow an opportunity for the city to go through the fraternity properties mid-year and make sure they are all up to code. The student serving as house fire marshal or house manager and/or the chapter president should attend.

April Fire Inspection for Students: To make sure students understand the importance of fire safety within their chapter house. The student serving as house fire marshal or house manager and/or the chapter president should attend.

Training and Educational Programs

Trainings and educational programs will be held twice a year. They will be coordinated by the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, the Interfraternity Council Vice President of Facilities, and the City of Oxford.

A Checklist for House Managers and Fire Marshals

  • Appoint Fire Marshal or House Manager
  • Attend Fire Safety/House Manager Training in August and February
  • Sign up for Inspections
  • Complete self inspection prior to scheduled inspection by outside party
  • Fire Marshal/House Manager and/or the Chapter President must be at the house before and during the entirety of the inspection
  • Conduct a fire drill once a semester during the first two weeks of the semester
  • Show the fire safety video at a chapter meeting each semester (contact The Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to borrow a copy)
  • Prepare or revise a permanent fire safety evacuation plan and post in the hallway on each floor
  • Have kitchen fire suppression system inspected bi-annually; you will find the necessary contact information and the date of last inspection on the tag located on the system
  • Maintain the following records:
    • Fire drills
    • Monthly self inspections
    • Official inspection documents provided to the fraternity by the City of Oxford and Fire Department
    • Fire evacuation and safety plans

Failure to Comply

Fines will be assessed for the following:

  • Failure to attend the fire marshal/house manager trainings in August and January ($200)
  • Failure to submit the self inspection form ($50)
  • Failure to submit the inspection log form ($50)
  • Failure to be at the house at the time of scheduled inspection ($200)
  • Failure to complete result of inspection requests; if the fire department has to return more than three times in one semester due to repeated violations ($500)
  • Anyone found to be on the roof ($750 per chapter)

All fines will be collected into the Fraternity Fire Safety Fund and be used for programming and safety initiatives.