WFD helps educate college students

WILMINGTON — The People’s Burn Foundation and Campus Fire Safety interviewed several Wilmington firefighters today about a January fire that killed former UNCW student Rory Michaelson.

Nearly 150 college students have been killed in fires over the last ten years. The program aims to help educate students across the country about some common factors in the deadly fires.

“Sprinklers are always the big one,” said WFD fire and life safety educator Meg Langston. “The other ones are check your smoke alarms, and the other one is if you’re a cigarette smoker just be really careful how you’re doing it. Make sure that you have deep large ashtrays, that you’re fully extinguishing the cigarette. Even if they’ve been extinguished, before you put it in the trash can that you’re completely wetting those butts.”

The program will be available online to colleges throughout the country starting in August.