Fire Safety and Prevention

All Babson College buildings are equipped with fire pull-boxes, alarms, emergency strobe lights, and emergency lighting. When activated, these warnings should direct those occupants and other people affected to evacuate the building immediately via the evacuation route indicated on the evacuation diagram located on each floor of all Babson facilities. The College has provided the residence halls with automated fire prevention systems that are monitored 24 hours a day and seven days a week. Fire protection systems in residence halls consist of sprinkler systems, both wet and dry, tied to master boxes and fire alarm panels.

Fire drills are conducted once a year in residential buildings and every other year in administrative bulidings with coordination of the Wellesley Fire Department. Health and safety inspections are conducted twice during each academic year by the Office of Residential Education.

Fire Safety Equipment

Each room has an early detection smoke alarm, and the hallways are equipped with both smoke and heat detector units. Additionally, there are emergency pull stations in every hallway, chemical fire extinguishers in every kitchen area, and dry powder extinguishers in hallways. The College also permits students to have an all-purpose fire extinguisher in their room. A dry-powder extinguisher is the only type of extinguisher permitted.

What’s Not Allowed

The setting of a fire is strictly prohibited and taken very seriously.

Due to the serious risk of injury to persons and property and to minimize fire and safety hazards within the residence halls, the following items, including but not limited to, are prohibited:

• Electric blankets
• Hot plates
• Toasters
• Toaster ovens
• Coil immersion heaters for cooking
• Any other heat-producing appliances

Smoking in all college buildings is prohibited to help promote a safe, healthy, and comfortable living and learning environment for all community members.

Fire Safety Reminders

• When using extension cords, students should use grounded surge-protected strips with an on/off switch.
• When a fire alarm is sounded, whether established as actual or false, the building must be evacuated immediately. Any individual failing to vacate a building during a fire alarm is subject to disciplinary action and a College fine. A second offense may result in suspension from housing or the College.

Tampering with fire extinguishers, fire protection equipment, or fire exits is a criminal offense.

Students found responsible for doing so may be subject to criminal prosecution and College disciplinary action if malicious damage is done to fire equipment, including but not limited to pull boxes, hoses, smoke alarms, heat sensors, and fire extinguishers.

In the event that a pulled alarm box or activation of the fire alarm system is determined to be malicious, disciplinary action may be taken including revocation of campus housing privileges, suspension, or expulsion from Babson. Violators will be reported to the Wellesley or Needham fire department for possible criminal prosecution.