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When computer science graduate student Mary Fleming found herself surrounded by smoke in a Scheidler apartment Thursday she wasn't sure what to do.
It wasn't long before she had trouble breathing. She started to panic and didn't know her next move.
However, the spectacle was completely planned.
"Burning Down the House", a event hosted by the Muncie Fire Department, filled the apartment with non-toxic, theatrical smoke made to give students a chance to react in an emergency situation. Students huddled together after escaping the smoke spewing from Scheidler Apartment 129 while firefighters stood by.
Chris Mangas, captain of the training division and lead coordinator of the event, said most people don't get a chance to see what a smoke-filled environment is like. "Television is not reality," Mangas said. "We want people to realize just how diminished their view is going to be when they find themselves in a situation like this."
Mangas said that in television, the cameras have to be able to see the actors so what you see on television of a smoke-filled room is not actually a smoke-filled room. The smoke can get so thick that you cannot see your hand in front of your face, he added.
One way students can protect themselves from a fire is to be alerted before the fire breaks out or the room fills with smoke, Mangas said. Mangas said a fire detector is your main weapon in a fire.
"The problem is that [smoke detectors] are in place, but there is no battery or the battery is too old," he said. "Or, sometimes what happens is the smoke detector will chirp to let you know it has to be replaced. People get tired of hearing it, so they take out the battery and don't replace it."
Fire Inspector Chief David Miller said the purpose of "Burning Down the House" was to alert the students involved of the "panic attacks" that could happen in a similar situation.
The purpose of this training is for students to be able to think clearly enough to get themselves and others to safety, he said.
"What happens in a real fire, no matter how long people have lived in a house, they become disoriented and become lost," Miller said. "They might head out the wrong way [and] they cannot find their way out."
Aurthur Sweeney, residence manager of Scheidler Apartments, said during spring semester the department will make a makeshift dorm room and set it on fire to show how quickly a room can be destroyed.
Danielle Dabler, a second year senior physics and English major said, now if she is ever caught in a fire, she'll know what to do.
"You never really know until you're in a crisis situation how you're going to respond," Dabler said. "...I've never been in a fire and I hope never to be in a fire, but if that ever does happen I'll be a lot better prepared."
Fire safety Step 1 Prepare for the possibility of a fire. Check fire alarms annually. Plan two escape routes from each room.
Step 2 Examine and clear your escape route of obstacles.
Step 3 Crawl to the exit to prevent deadly smoke inhalation. Smoke rises.
Step 4 Touch all doors before opening them on your escape route. If a door feels hot, take an alternate route if it's available.
Step 5 Include a fire escape plan for young children. If using a window exit, lower children before you lower yourself. Emphasize to older children they need to exit the building instead of hiding in a closet or under the bed.
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