A firefighter in full turnout gear from Plattsburgh Fire Department sprays water into a burning wooden mock dorm room as thick smoke billows upward. Overlaid text reads: “See a LIVE dorm room fire. Hear what it’s like to survive one.“ Below the photo: “Wednesday, September 30 - 6:00 PM, Kehoe parking lot - near Kehoe Hall. Come see the fire. Stay for the story.“. Banner for See a Dorm Room Fire. Hear What It’s Like to Survive One.

See a Dorm Room Fire. Hear What It’s Like to Survive One.

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Educational/Awareness Campus Housing and Community Living Fraternity/Sorority Life Presentation

Wed, Sep 30, 2026

6 PM – 8 PM EDT (GMT-4)

Private Location (sign in to display)

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What happens when a fire starts in a college residence hall? How quickly does a small fire become dangerous? And would you know what to do?

Join us for an evening focused on campus fire safety and preparedness.

At 6:00 p.m., the Plattsburgh City Fire Department and the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control will conduct a live mock dorm room burn in the Kehoe parking lot. The demonstration will show just how quickly fire and smoke can spread and why having a plan, knowing your exits, and acting quickly can make a difference.

Immediately following the fire demonstration, hear directly from Shawn Simons and Alvaro Llanos, survivors of the 2000 Seton Hall University residence hall fire. Shawn and Alvaro were college freshmen and roommates when an arson fire broke out in their residence hall. Both suffered severe burns and faced a long road to recovery. Today, they travel to colleges and communities across the country sharing their story and promoting fire safety and prevention.

This is more than a fire safety presentation. You’ll see how quickly a dorm room fire can become dangerous—and then hear from two people who lived through the consequences. Their message is about survival, perseverance, and making sure students have the knowledge to prevent a tragedy and know what to do if a fire occurs.

Come see the fire. Stay for the story. Leave knowing what you can do to protect yourself and others.

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