{"id":182431,"date":"2025-10-09T14:16:54","date_gmt":"2025-10-09T12:16:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=182431"},"modified":"2025-12-19T11:27:56","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T10:27:56","slug":"brandweerman-peter-geeft-tips-voor-een-brandveiliger-studentenhuis-veiligheid-lijkt-voor-studenten-geen-prioriteit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2025\/10\/09\/brandweerman-peter-geeft-tips-voor-een-brandveiliger-studentenhuis-veiligheid-lijkt-voor-studenten-geen-prioriteit\/","title":{"rendered":"Firefighter Peter shares tips for a safer student house: \u2018Safety doesn\u2019t seem to be a priority for students\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

A small spark can quickly turn into a fire, as students in Kralingen<\/a> learned at the end of September when their electric blanket began smouldering on the sofa. Firefighter Peter Schuurmans shares tips for making student houses safer. Time to clear the beer crates, bike pumps and mattresses out of your hallway.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\n\t\n\n<\/svg>\n<\/span>\n\tImage by:<\/span>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSonja Schravesande<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>

\u201cStudents don\u2019t seem to prioritise their own safety. It seems like fun comes first, studying second, and safety maybe third\u201d, sighs firefighter Peter Schuurmans. He heads the Safe Living department of the regional safety authority, which works to raise awareness about fire risks. Two years ago, Schuurmans received a high fire service award<\/a> for his work in fire prevention, among other things.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t charge your phone, tablet or laptop while it\u2019s lying on the sofa, or in bed with you \u2013 not even on your bedside table while you sleep\u201d, warns Schuurmans. \u201cAnd unplug your electric blanket before going to sleep. When that kind of device starts smouldering on soft, flammable materials, well, those are our regular customers. We keep getting called out for that. And sure, I have to earn my salary, but I\u2019d rather not do it in such a needless way.\u201d<\/p>\n

The students in the Kralingen house where the fire broke out all managed to get outside safely. They waited in the cold outside the property on Voorschotenlaan for the fire brigade to arrive. \u201cIt was an electric blanket for the dog\u201d, says Schuurmans, though he wasn\u2019t there himself. \u201cThey\u2019d probably left it on too long, so the device couldn\u2019t release the heat.\u201d One of the students told the regional broadcaster<\/a> that the blanket had indeed been left on overnight.<\/p>\n

Better keep the hallway clear<\/h2>

A major problem in student houses is that escape routes are often blocked, Schuurmans explains. Beer crates, bike pumps, bits of furniture, mattresses \u2013 if those block the exit, it\u2019s much harder to get out during a fire. \u201cAnd the fire brigade can\u2019t get in\u201d, he says from experience. \u201cWe first have to remove the bikes from the hallway. You need to be able to escape. We see this again and again behind many front doors.\u201d<\/p>\n

The lack of working smoke alarms is another issue in student houses, says Schuurmans. There should be one on every floor. \u201cAnd don\u2019t dismantle them. That still happens when students smoke underneath them or burn something in the kitchen. Check monthly whether your smoke alarm works. For instance, on the first Monday of the month when the national test alarm sounds \u2013 that seems like a good reminder to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t\u2018You\u2019d visit a student house for an inspection, and a month later the hallway would be full of new stuff again\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

Schuurmans has been seeing the same problems in student houses for years. He\u2019s been active in the fire service since 1985 and has long been involved in prevention work. \u201cAt Safe Living, we\u2019ve spent a great deal of time, energy and money promoting fire safety in student houses. At some point, we stopped to focus on other groups, such as older people. You\u2019d visit a student house for an inspection, and a month later the hallway would be full of new stuff again. Or you\u2019d make an appointment with a student house, ring the bell at the agreed day and time \u2013 11.00 am \u2013 and a sleepy student in his underwear would open the door saying, \u2018Oh right, you were coming, weren\u2019t you? It\u2019s not really a good time now.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, Schuurmans believes it\u2019s important to keep advising students about fire prevention. His Safe Living department also visits homes for fire safety checks. \u201cDo give us a call \u2013 we can always plan a nice drink afterwards if that makes it more appealing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t
\n\t\t\u2018Recently, we were called out to a fire caused by a scooter that was charging in a bedroom\u2019\n\t<\/blockquote>\n\n\t<\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n

An electric scooter in the hallway<\/h2>

October is Fire Prevention Month. This time, the theme is safe charging, with special attention to charging electric bikes and scooters. \u201cThere\u2019s even a special website for it: iklaadaccuraat.nl. We\u2019re seeing these things go wrong more and more often. By now, one in three adults owns an electric bike or scooter.\u201d<\/p>\n

There are several ways things can go wrong with electric bikes and scooters, says Schuurmans. \u201cIt\u2019s not always easy to find a good charging spot \u2013 students will definitely recognise that. Recently, we were called out to a fire caused by a scooter that was charging in a bedroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ideally, you should have a separate room for storing and charging these vehicles (using the original charger), and one with a smoke alarm installed. \u201cMake sure you\u2019re at home and awake when charging, because if the alarm goes off, you still have a chance to save things. Once it catches fire, you won\u2019t be able to put it out yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\t

\n\t\t

Would you like the fire brigade to visit? Not for extinguishing fires, but to check whether your house is fire-safe. You can request information or arrange a visit to your student house by calling the Safe Living number (0900 8387). Are you part of a student association and interested in organising an information evening at your society or a series of checks in your student houses? Contact EM \u2013 we can share Peter Schuurmans\u2019 number with you.<\/p>\n\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t\n\t\t
\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Read more<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t