Fire Safety
Annual security report
Full Annual Security Report (PDF)
Fire safety training
Professional and student residence life staff are provided with annual fire safety training conducted by Mt. Vernon Fire Department. Training in fire evacuation procedures for residence life staff is provided annually. Resident fire safety education is conducted periodically.
Mandatory, supervised fire drills
Two per semester in each residence hall and two per semester in academic buildings. A total of eight scheduled fire drills are conducted each year.
Residence hall policies
For fire safety reasons, the college has restrictions on the use or possession of certain cooking appliances, candles, flammable liquids, and other such potential fire safety concerns. See The Compass for complete details.
In accordance with the State of Iowa Smoke free Air Act, smoking is prohibited at Cornell College. All indoor and outdoor spaces are smoke free. More information is available at Cornell College's Smoke free Iowa Air Act.
Students must exit any building immediately when a fire alarm sounds. The college expects all students to respect the fire safety systems that are in place. Failure to abide by these policies will result in conduct action as outlined in The Compass.
Fire systems
| Building | Sprinkler System | Fire Notification System |
|---|---|---|
|
Bowman-Carter Hall |
Yes | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Campus Safety alerted via exterior strobes and horn. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Russell Hall | Yes | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Direct network connection from building to Campus Safety. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Pfeiffer Hall | Yes | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Direct network connection from building to Campus Safety. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Dows Hall | No | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Campus Safety alerted via exterior strobes and horn. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Tarr Hall | No | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Campus Safety alerted via exterior strobes and horn. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Pauley-Rorem Hall | No | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Campus Safety alerted via exterior strobes and horn. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Olin Hall | No | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Campus Safety alerted via exterior strobes and horn. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| Merner Hall | Yes | Building equipped with audible and visual alarms. Campus Safety alerted via exterior strobes and horn. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted by Campus Safety. |
| 10th Ave apartments | No | Local smoke detectors. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted directly by residents. |
| Wilch Apartments | No | Local smoke detectors. Mt. Vernon Fire Department contacted directly by residents. |
Fire safety improvements
As residence halls are renovated or funds become available steps will be taken to equip buildings with sprinkler systems.
Fire statistics
- 2023: No residence hall fires
- 2022: No residence hall fires
- 2021: No residence hall fires