CFD promotes fire safety awareness
CFD brought fire safety to life for students and public.
Published Sept. 23, 2009, last updated 6:32 p.m., Nov. 13, 2010
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Firefighter David Haney inspects the damage after putting out a fire set to a mock residence hall room during Fire Factor 2009. The fire, which engulfed the room in one minute, 35 seconds, was used to show the importance of fire safety.
Correction appended
Fire Factor was back again this year, complete with a burning building, an obstacle course and T-shirts. The ninth annual fire prevention event Wednesday at Lowry Mall and Speakers Circle gave participants the opportunity to fight a blaze with fire extinguishers while downing free pizza and drinks.
"Typically we have around 1,500 people," said Lt. Shawn McCollom, assistant fire marshall to the Columbia Fire Department and liaison to MU. The event was open to the public, with invitations to students from other area colleges.
According to a news release from MU Environmental Health and Safety, Fire Factor's goal, aside from setting laptops and various other items ablaze, is to inform area students regarding fire safety and prevention.
With the success of last year's "Live Room Burn," where a new mock residence hall room, measuring 12 feet by 8 feet high, was built for the sole purpose of being burnt to the ground. The building went up in flames around noon in Speakers Circle.
"Last year's burn only took 15 to 20 seconds," McCollom said. "This year was a minute 35. How long does it take you to get out of a building?"
The fire truck boom, or ladder truck bucket, was also a popular addition at the event. Students were able to ride up several stories above the ground in a fire truck boom and receive a complementary souvenir picture of their feat.
The obstacle course presented a firefighter challenge to attendees. According to the obstacle course's instructions, the challenge was to drag a 2.5-inch hose up, over and down a 50-foot stage. Challengers then had to haul two 25-pound medical packs another 50 feet, move a wooden tie 8 feet by hitting it with a sledgehammer and finally drag a 75-pound dummy 25 feet to safety, all while dressed in firefighter gear.
The youngest participant to accept the challenge was 11-year-old Benjamin Robinson. He was there with his friends and family to learn about fire safety.
"It was hard," he said. "The sledgehammer was the hardest part."
Robinson completed the course in one minute, 50 seconds, around the same time as some of the adults. He and his family also put out a fire with an extinguisher and rode in the fire truck boom.
Graduate student Elizabeth Peterson ran the course more than once.
"It was a lot of fun," she said.
Fire Factor is also just in time for National Campus Fire Safety Month. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, the younger adult population, ages 15 to 34, seems to incur the greatest number of alcohol-impaired fire casualties.
Drinking was an attributing factor in the fire resulting in the death of MU student Dominic Passantino in 1999.
"A big part of that whole evening was drinking," McCollom said. "Drinking is very prevalent on this campus and nationwide. The campus is supposed to be dry, but we all know it's not."
Damages caused by fires are another major concern among students.
The official Web site for National Campus Fire Safety Month lists 13 reported fires in and around the MU campus and more than $1.3 million in damages since 2000.
The CFD Web site also has fire safety tips including educational tools on fire safety and a video game designed by MU alumnus Brennan Hobart, graphic designer with the Division of Information Technology at MU.
CFD, MU Environmental Health and Safety, Mizzou After Dark, Coca-Cola and local businesses sponsored the event.
Correction:
It was Benjamin Robinson and not Benjamin Nelson who "completed the course in one minute and 50 seconds." The Maneater regrets the error.
(Added 11:57 p.m., September 23, 2009)