The Fire Marshal focuses on the prevention of fires on campus and seeks to eliminate their causes, ensuring the safety of all students, employees, and visitors to the USU campus.
Key Responsibilities
- Interprets and enforces state of Utah fire and life safety codes.
- Reviews all proposed construction and remodel projects.
- Conducts annual fire safety inspections for all buildings.
- Tests fire detection systems and alarms monthly.
- Inspects and tests sprinkler systems quarterly.
- Provides fire prevention and fire extinguishing training.
Heat Hints
Space Heater Requirements
If you have permission to use a space heater from the dean or vice president, be sure to use the correct type of space heater approved by the Fire Marshal and USU Risk Manager's office. Space heaters still account for 40 percent of the deaths and 30 percent of the injuries that are heat related each year in this country according to the U.S. Fire Administration Consumer Reports.
All space heaters must meet the following requirements:
- Ceramic element and oil filled.
- Cannot exceed 1000 watts at its highest setting.
- A self limiting element temperature setting for the ceramic elements.
- A tip-over safety device.
- Built-in timer for hours of operation (time not to exceed 8 hours per setting).
- Programmable thermostat built into the space heater.
- Overheat protection (Thermal limiter).
No open-element or metallic-element heaters will be allowed in USU owned and leased property, and no fuel-fired heater, kerosene or propane, will be allowed in USU owned and leased property. It is important to note that the Fire Code "DOES NOT" permit space heaters to be plugged into extension cords or outlet strips/surge protectors. They shall be plugged directly into a wall receptacle. NO EXECPTIONS. Propane- and kerosene-fueled heaters are prodigious heat producers, but because of their open flames, the risk of carbon-monoxide poisoning, and the hazard associated with handling the fuel, fuel heaters shall not be used indoors.
Student-Controlled Fires
Grills
In all cases, when using a cooking grill, it shall be propane only and have a distance of at least 10 feet away from any structure. NO CHARCOAL or WOOD is allowed. NO EXECPTIONS.
Bonfires
The State of Utah Fire Marshal's office has banned all bonfires, recreational fires, and any open burning on any state-owned property. All USU property is owned by the state of Utah, and this ban applies to all USU property.
Fireworks
Due to the continued drought in Utah, the Utah State Fire Marshal’s office ban on aerial fireworks is still in effect for all USU campuses and property.
USU does permit the use of Class C fireworks (fireworks that do not leave the ground) at the Maverik Stadium west parking lot. The following are the date and times permitted:
- July 2 to July 5 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- July 22 to 25 from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- July 4 and July 24 from 11 a.m. to midnight
Candle Warmers
As of September 2007, the use of candle warmers have been banned by the Utah Risk Manager's office on all USU owned and leased property.
Smoke Detectors
At times students create a lot of smoke while cooking in Resident Hall kitchen areas, and their smoke detectors do not activate; this does not reflect the condition of the Smoke Detector -- as its most likely functioning correctly. In many of these areas, a heat detector which looks like smoke detectors has been installed due to false alarms. The heat detectors are not activated by smoke, but by degrees of heat, like heat generated in a fire. If smoke or heat detectors are removed, this will cause a fire alarm in which USU Fire Marshal's Office and USU Police will be notified. A fine could be issued for removing or tampering with life safety systems and equipment.