Dean of Students Lori Berquam, in partnership with the Madison Fire Department, announced a week-long campaign Tuesday to promote fire safety.
Fire Safety Awareness Week aims to remind students of the dangers of non-working fire alarms in the wake of two fires at the end of the fall semester.
It's a new semester, look around your apartment or your house, replace old batteries with new batteries, make sure your smoke detector is in working order,"" Berquam said.
Berquam said she has been in contact with victims of both fires, a Nov. 10, 2007 fire at 505 N. Carroll St. and a fatal incident at 123 N. Bedford St. on Nov. 18, and that all permanently displace students have found alternative housing for this semester.
""We want students to know we care about them, we want them to have a safe semester,"" she said. ""I think the important piece that's missing is [the students] and their involvement.""
Ian's Pizza has also joined the campaign and will give away free pizza to randomly selected delivery orders between 5-7 p.m. Jan. 30-31 if students have working smoke detectors.
Nick Martin, director of promotions at Ian's Pizza, said the company became involved because one of its former employees resided at 123 N. Bedford at the time of the fire, but was not home during the incident.
""When we heard about this promotional opportunity, we really jumped at the chance because it definitely affected us at Ian's Pizza,"" Martin said. ""We think it's a very important cause and we're very happy to help out where we can.""
Madison Fire Marshal Edwin Ruckriegel said there were five fire-related fatalities in Madison last year and ""the sad truth is all the fires were preventable.""
Ruckriegel said investigators of the Carroll Street fire still have not determined its cause, but Berquam said working smoke detectors allowed the students to exit safely.
""We see this project as a teaching project, which is as important as the studies that the students experience here on campus,"" Madison Fire Marshal Edwin Ruckriegel said.
About 2,000 donated 9-volt batteries and other fire safety information will be given to students 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Jan. 24 at Union South and Jan. 25 at Memorial Union. Berquam said some of the victims of the November fires would help distribute batteries.
Students will also have the opportunity to win one of six $100 gift certificates to the University Book Store after taking a fire safety quiz next week.
