Fire Safety

Fire Prevention Policies

• Maharishi International University does not allow any cooking in residence hall rooms except for using electronic kettles.
• The burning of candles, sage, or any use of open flames in the residence hall rooms is prohibited.
• The University enforces a no-smoking policy throughout the campus, in compliance with the Iowa Smoke-Free Air Act.
• Tampering with fire safety equipment, including smoke detectors, fire safety panels, fire extinguishers, fire doors, etc., is a violation of MIU fire safety policy and a federal offense. Covering and disabling smoke detectors is strictly prohibited.

Fire Safety Precautions

• Familiarize yourself with all the regular and emergency exits in your building. Know how to activate a fire alarm and where to find fire extinguishers.
• Arrange your room with fire safety in mind, ensuring unobstructed access to your door. Keep your room tidy.  
• Keep room entrances, fire exits, and hallways clear of obstructions, such as boxes, bicycles, and mattresses.
• Do not overload electrical outlets. Use all the available outlets in your room. Extension cords may not be used as permanent wiring. Plug your equipment directly into outlets.  
• Use appropriate holders for incense. Extinguish all incense before leaving the room.
• Turn off lights and electrical appliances, especially irons, before leaving the room.
• Be cautious with massage oil, a known fire risk on campus. Avoid machine-drying oily towels on high heat, as they might ignite. If possible, opt for hang-drying them.
• Take fire drills seriously. These drills are essential for practicing quick and safe evacuations as per the fire escape plan.
• Maintain functional smoke detectors in every dorm room. Report malfunctions to facilities management at ext. 1177 during office hours and to the security officer at ext. 1115 after office hours and during weekends and holidays.
• Negligence or intentional actions leading to fire damage will result in financial liability.  

What to Do in the Event of a Fire

Important: Always prioritize safety and evacuate immediately at the first signs of fire or smoke. Do not delay exiting by closing windows or doors or activating the fire alarm.

• If possible, close windows and doors as you leave, but do not let this delay your exit.
• On your way out, activate the fire alarm using the red pull station if it is not already off.  
• Once outside, first call the Fire Department at 911. Next, inform Campus Security at 641-472-1115 or 641-472-7000, ext. 1115.  
• Under no circumstances should you re-enter the building until you receive an official “All Clear” signal.  
• Never disregard or assume a fire alarm is false. It is crucial to vacate the building every time an alarm sounds.

1. Before opening the door, feel it with the back of your hand. If it is hot,
   1. Do not open the door.
   2. Open the window only if there is smoke in the room. Lower the top half of a double-hung window to let the heat and smoke out and raise the lower half for fresh air.
   3. Seal the cracks around the door with towels or other available fabric, soaked in water if possible.
   4. Call 911 and 641-472-1115. If you do not have a phone, ask for help by hanging objects out the window or shouting.
   5. Keep low to the floor and cover your mouth and nose with a (wet) fabric.
2. If your door is not hot, open it slowly. If hot air or fire rushes in, follow the above steps. If you can leave, proceed to the nearest exit and go to the Fire Emergency Meeting Point.

1. Pull the safety pin from the handle.
2. Aim at the base of the fire.
3. Squeeze the trigger handle.
4. Sweep from side to side.

Reporting Fire

If you are aware of a fire that has already been extinguished in on-campus student housing or elsewhere on campus and you are uncertain that the Security and Safety Office has been informed, please report the fire to the Director of Regulatory Compliance through the online incident reporting form, email bnacsa@miu.edu or by calling 641-472-7000 ext. 4275 to report the incident for inclusion in the fire log.

If you hear about such a fire, please notify the Security and Safety Office through the above methods.

Fire Emergency Meeting Points