Students gathered last Tuesday for GW’s annual Safety and Security Forum in the Marvin Center.
The forum this year focused on fire safety and included a screening of “After the Fire,” a documentary about a deadly fire at New Jersey’s Seton Hall University, followed by a question-and-answer session with two former students featured in the film.
Former roommates Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos spoke about their experience surviving the fire in 2000 at Seton Hall University. The fire killed three students and injured 58 others, including Mr. Simons and Mr. Llanos, who spent months recovering in the burn unit at St. Barnabas Hospital in New Jersey.
“I found the courage, resiliency and enduring friendship of Shawn and Alvaro in overcoming their injuries from the fire to be inspirational,” said Darrell Darnell, senior associate vice president for safety and security. “And their willingness to share their story with students so that this type of tragic event doesn't occur again is equally remarkable and a lesson for us all in service to others.”
The screening was made possible thanks to GW’s Office of Safety and Security, which received a fire safety and prevention grant from FEMA that enabled the screening of the film not only at GW but also at Catholic University and the University of Maryland. The fraternity Pi Kappa Alpha helped raise awareness of the event. The fraternity’s annual Fireman's Challenge has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help burn survivors in the D.C. area.
"The burn survivors speaking at the forum were very inspiring, and I believe the forum was highly effective in raising awareness on the important issue of fire safety," said Andrew Whitley, chief of the Fireman's Challenge. "Hopefully, students will keep the forum in mind and be safer in their residences."
Tom Hayden, inspections supervisor in the Office of Safety and Security, said the film was a moving reminder to students to be aware of fire safety issues.
“You have to be prepared and react quickly when a fire occurs,” said Mr. Hayden. Knowing your surroundings and having a plan that includes identifying two ways out of a building is critical, he said.
The number of fires reported on campus increased last year, according to GW’s annual fire safety report. Cooking is one of the most common causes of residential fire in the U.S., and students are encouraged to pay close attention when cooking, said Mr. Hayden.
Many fires involving college students happen off campus, he added. “University housing codes require sprinklers and regular testing of fire alarms but not all spaces off campus meet the same standards.” Last year, for example, two GW students were injured in a fire in a house in Arlington, Va.
“Students need to keep in mind that fire safety can be life saving,” he stressed.