Quincy, MA - August 18, 2015 - September is Campus Fire Safety Month and this year the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), The Center for Campus Fire Safety (The Center), the University of New Haven Fire Science Club (UNH) and Domino’s are teaming up to host a national campaign and Campus Fire Safety Sweepstakes & Contest (Contest) that raises awareness of fire safety on college campuses.

CONTEST VIDEO: Students from the University of New Haven Fire Science Club explain the Campus Fire Safety Sweepstakes & Contest, and encourage students across the country to join their fire safety movement.

According to NFPA statistics, fires in dormitories, fraternities, sororities and student barracks increased 24 percent from 3,350 fires in 2003 to 4,160 fires in 2013. The Center states from 2000 through October 2014, 126 students died in 89 fires on college campuses, in Greek housing, or in privately owned off-campus housing within three miles of the campus. Of those, 107 deaths occurred in fires in off-campus housing. At least four fatal off-campus fires have occurred this year, including deaths in South Dakota, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.

Most college students, many living on their own for the first time, don’t often think to ask or even consider the fire safety implications of their housing choices, and most states don’t require colleges to tell them.

The Contest encourages students to put fire safety first, and provides a host of student, parent and fire safety educator resources that focus on the dangers of candles and unattended cooking, in addition to highlighting the importance of having smoke alarms, evacuation plans and more. Resources have been designed for sharing via social media, on college websites, and for posting in dorms and on common area bulletin boards and include:

• Fire safety questions to ask landlords and school officials
• Videos
• Checklists
• Tips Sheets
• Infographics and flyers

According to Paul D. Martin, president of The Center for Campus Fire Safety, “The concept of students involving other students helps send a strong fire safety message that we hope will be remembered going forward. The dedication and energy this student team has demonstrated has been phenomenal.”

The two-tiered Contest, available online from September 1 – 25 on the UNH Fire Science Club Facebook page, targets students currently enrolled in an institution of higher education who can share important fire safety messages with their friends and roommates. Students who complete the first tier will be entered into a sweepstakes where two winners will be randomly selected to win a Domino’s-sponsored pizza party for 50 of their friends. Students can also submit a 200-word paragraph about the steps they will take to help keep themselves and their peers safer from fire.  One winner will be chosen from this second-tier of the Contest and is eligible to win an iPad mini 3.

“As a fire science student, we learn a lot about the extreme destruction and power that fire has and the loss that can come afterward,” said Greg Fasold, student at the University of New Haven and media specialist for The Center’s Campus Fire Safety for Students Group. “We see first-hand the importance of spreading the fire safety message to all students. This contest will be go a long way in helping us with our outreach.”

Learn more about the Contest at Facebook. Find resources for students, parents and fire safety educators here and on the Center’s Campus Fire Safety for Students webpage.

About the Center for Campus Fire Safety
The Center for Campus Fire Safety (The Center) is a non-profit 501C3 organization.  The Center is a member-based organization devoted to reducing the loss of life from fire on and off campuses. The mission of The Center is to serve as an advocate for the promotion of campus fire safety. The Center serves as the focal point for the efforts of a number of organizations and also as a clearinghouse for information relating to campus fire safety. Visit us here for more information.

About Domino’s Pizza®
Founded in 1960, Domino’s Pizza is the recognized world leader in pizza delivery, with a significant business in carryout pizza. It ranks among the world’s top public restaurant brands with its global enterprise of more than 11,600 stores in over 75 international markets. Domino’s had global retail sales of over $8.9 billion in 2014, comprised of more than $4.1 billion in the U.S. and nearly $4.8 billion internationally. In the fourth quarter of 2014, Domino’s had global retail sales of over $2.8 billion, comprised of $1.3 billion in the U.S. and $1.5 billion internationally. Its system is made up of franchise owners who accounted for nearly 97% of Domino's Pizza stores as of the fourth quarter of 2014. The emphasis on technology innovation helped Domino’s generate approximately 50% of U.S. sales from its digital channels at the end of 2014, and reach an estimated run rate of $4 billion annually in global digital sales. Domino’s recently launched its ordering app for iPad®, adding to an existing ordering app lineup that covers nearly 95% of the U.S. smartphone market. In June 2014, Domino’s debuted voice ordering for its iPhone® and Android™ apps, a true technology first within both traditional and e-commerce retail.