Fire Safety

Fire drills are held every semester in all residential buildings, as required by the New York State Fire Code. During the first two weeks of each semester, drills help students become familiar with evacuation routes and procedures.

Every time a fire alarm sounds, students and employees must evacuate the building immediately. A full evacuation check is conducted every time an alarm is activated.

The University undergoes two official fire safety inspections each year to ensure compliance with fire codes:

• New York State Fire Inspection: conducted in the fall semester (typically October)
• Village of Hamilton Codes Inspection: conducted in the spring semester (typically March)

These inspections include physical checks of all campus buildings and a representative number of student rooms. Students will receive advance notice by email before inspections begin.

Note: External inspectors may cite prohibited items found in student rooms. Be sure to review campus housing policies to avoid violations.

Portable fire extinguishers are placed throughout the University for use by trained individuals in case of a fire emergency. Fire Safety offers fire extinguisher training sessions upon request.

For more details, view the Fire Extinguisher Information Sheet.

Colgate has established a Hot Work Program to minimize the potential for fire incidents resulting from hot work, such as welding, on campus and to comply with federal and state regulations.

To ensure the safety of everyone on campus, the University has outlined a list of prohibited items on campus.

During Fire Safety Week, the Fire Safety and Campus Safety teams host a mock dorm room fire in the upper quad to demonstrate how quickly fires can spread and the importance of fire prevention.

Students also receive hands-on training using the BullEx fire extinguisher simulation system.