Just another take on the candle question. The university of New Mexico strictly
prohibits candles in dorms for ANY reason including religious ceremonies. We do
allow candles in other buildings, primarily public assembly. We do not permit
them in business occupancies, and only in laboratories under controlled
conditions as part of an approved experiment. Our Fine Arts College has an art
committee on which we sit, to approve art work (to ensure the art does not cause
a safety hazard or uses unauthorized open flames or heat producing devices). If
you look at the Life Safety Code, NFPA 101, chapter 8-7 lays out where candles
or open flames are or are not permitted. Candles are permitted for religious
cermonies under controlled conditions. Chapters 16 and 17 on new/existing
dormitories does not address this area, and as such, we do not permit the use of
candles in dorms or fraternities. Our take on this is that if there is a need
for a religious ceremony, the occpants can have the event in a  chapel or
approved public assembly. When we do permit the use of open flames, a safety
representative inspects the area and the open flames, standsby during the event
or we designate an event manager for the event who is fully responsible for the
safe use of the open flames.

Automatic digest processor wrote:

> There are 2 messages totalling 88 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
>   1. Campus Firewatch Update 04.09.01
>   2. Candle Policies & Procedures
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 9 Apr 2001 07:01:35 -0400
> From:    "Ed Comeau, Publisher" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Campus Firewatch Update 04.09.01
>
> Campus Firewatch Update
> A service of Campus Firewatch (http://www.campus-firewatch.com)
>
> In today's update...
>
>         Fraternity Fire
>
> -----------------------------------------------------
> The following accounts have been taken
> from press reports and, unless otherwise
> indicated, have not been independently verified.
>
> More information on these incidents will be contained
> in an upcoming issue of Campus Firewatch.
> -----------------------------------------------------
>
> April 3, 2001
> Fraternity Fire
> Florida State University
> Tallahassee, FL
>
> A candle fire started a fire in an occupied fraternity.  A blanket in a
> basement bedroom was ignited when it came into contact with the candle.  The
> occupant attempted to extinguish the fire, but it spread to the mattress and
> the other contents of the room.  The basement bedroom was destroyed by the
> fire and there was smoke damage throughout the building's three stories.
>
> According to fire officials, some of the smoke detectors in the house were
> missing batteries or were not operational.
>
> The building was unsprinklered.
>
> -------------------------------
> Ed Comeau, Publisher
> Campus Firewatch
> PO Box 1046
> Belchertown, MA  01007
> http://www.campus-firewatch.com
> mailto:[log in to unmask]
> 1-413-323-6002 (tel)
> 1-413-323-5295 (fax)
> -------------------------------
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date:    Mon, 9 Apr 2001 08:27:45 -0400
> From:    "Michael J. Fox" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Candle Policies & Procedures
>
> Yale University's candle policy strictly prohibits candles, burnt or
> unburnt, within the dormitories. We can fine $100 per student, per candle
> if caught. But, this only applies to Undergraduate Dorms. We also allow the
> "responsible" and "mature" adults to use candles only for religious
> purposes, used within a sprinkled building, not in excess numbers, must
> always be attended, and used in a safe manner. We have had very few
> accidents with this policy. As I do agree that it only takes one time to
> have a major disaster, we as administrators also have to allow for
> religious freedom and expression.   I think the choice as to whether to
> allow candle use on campus for religious purposes boils down more to the
> location that they are to be used and the fire protection that the location
> has. As a reference, only about 10 out of our 300+ buildings do not have
> fire alarms with automatic smoke detection. Further, all of our
> undergraduate dorms and approx. 60% of our other building are fully
> sprinkled and have full smoke detection.
>
> Michael Fox
> Dep. Fire Inspector
> Yale University
> Office of the Fire Marshal
> 314 Prospect Street
> New Haven, CT 06515
> voice: 203-432-9924
> fax: 203-432-8937
> email: [log in to unmask]
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of OHIOFIRE Digest - 8 Apr 2001 to 9 Apr 2001 (#2001-66)
> ************************************************************