Fire Safety

If you discover a fire…

  • Evacuate the immediate area and close, don’t lock, all doors as you leave.

  • Activate the nearest fire alarm pull station to evacuate the building and notify the Hoboken Fire Department.

  • Call the Stevens Campus Police Department (201.216.3911); tell them where the fire is and give them any other information they need. They will dispatch the Hoboken Fire Department.

  • Attempt to extinguish the fire using a fire extinguisher only if you feel it is safe to do so.

  • If there is smoke or heat, stay low. Crawl to the nearest exit if need be.

  • Use stairways only. Never use an elevator in a fire or smoke situation.

  • Before opening any door, feel it with the back of your hand near the top of the door. If it is hot, do not open it; find another exit.

If you become trapped, do the following…

  • Call the Stevens Campus Police Department (201.216.3911) and tell them your exact location and situation. They will notify the Hoboken Fire Department for you.

  • Place a blanket or similar article along the bottom of the door to keep smoke out. If possible, wet the material first.

  • Retreat. Close as many doors between you and the fire as possible.

  • Hang a light-colored material out of a window to attract the attention of rescue teams.

  • Do not jump or break open windows.

High-Rise Fire Safety Tips

  • If you are residing in an off-campus apartment, it is highly recommended that you choose a fully fire sprinklered building. All Stevens Leased Housing facilities are fully sprinklered.

  • Make yourself aware of the fire safety features of your building, including fire alarms, sprinklers, voice communication procedures, evacuation plans, and how to respond to an alarm. Know the locations of all available exit stairs from your floor in case the nearest one is blocked by fire or smoke.

  • If you have difficulty navigating stairs due to a temporary or permanent disability, please alert your landlord or RA and determine an emergency evacuation plan.

  • Do not block exit and stairwell doors with clutter or furniture.

  • In the event of a fire alarm, do not use elevators. Close all doors behind you and be sure to take your key.

  • If there is smoke or fire on your way out, use your second way out. If you must escape through smoke, get low and go under the smoke to your way out.

  • Please note that some high-rise evacuation plans require you to go to a safe, shelter-in-place area and wait for further instructions from the fire department.

  • If you can’t get out of your apartment because of fire, smoke, or a disability, stuff wet towels or sheets around the door and vents to keep smoke out. Call the Hoboken Fire Department and tell them where you are.  Open a window slightly and wave a bright cloth to signal your location.  Be prepared to close the window if it makes the smoke condition worse.

  • When fire alarms are offset in a fire-sprinkled high-rise building, only alarms on certain floors of the building will activate (typically the floor with the offset alarm, two floors above, and two floors below). This eliminates a massive amount of people attempting to exit the building at one time. These buildings are equipped with a public address system which the fire department will use to communicate about whether you should leave or shelter-in-place. Modern buildings are constructed out of poured concrete, which allows time for an escape. If you are located above or next to a fire, always move to a stairwell; stairwells are the safest due to a high fire rating.