Page 18 - Programming Guide

Approval Process
Recreational Fire Pit Guidelines – 2020-2021
1. The campus fire pits are located at 16 spaces around campus (see map). Student groups, staff, or faculty interested in using a campus fire pit should RSVP here. Questions can be directed to firepits@wheaton.edu. Please review the attached fire pit map and provide your top three location preferences.
2. Individual students can reserve a fire pit near Smith-Traber or Fischer on a first-come first-serve basis when the front desk opens at 7pm. The residence halls will have the water jug, lighter, fire starter, and s’mores at the front desk. The Fischer and Smith-Traber designated fire pits (#1-5 and #9) cannot be reserved in advance.
3. The scheduler will send a confirmation email including the guidelines and expectations for usage. Email will include confirmed location as well as location of wood, water jug, lighter, fire starter, and s’mores.
Guidelines and Expectations
All approved recreational fires must adhere to the following guidelines (failure to abide by these guidelines will result in a fine for the person organizing the fire pit or forfeiting future permission to use a fire pit):
• The fire must be fully contained in a Wheaton College owned fire pit. No fire may be built directly on the ground, or on any other surface. Personally owned fire pits may not be used by students on the college campus.
• The fire pit must sit on 4 bricks to protect the grass, be located at an approved location, but no closer than 30’ from any campus building or parking lot.
• The person/leader responsible for the event needs to communicate social distancing expectations when around the fire. Groups not social distancing will be asked to end their fire early.
• The group using the fire pit is responsible for filling the provided water jug to be used for extinguishing the fire. A water hose is located by the wood pile on the north end of the Student Services Building.
• Fire pits must remain in their designated locations and should not be rearranged or removed.
• The fire pit must remain attended at all times while the fire is burning, and throughout this time
the water jug must remain within reach in case of an emergency.
• When the event is over the remnants of burning wood and coals must be thoroughly drenched
with water by means of the water jug. When drenching the fire, apply enough water to ensure
that all of the embers have been extinguished.
• Due to the risk of fire, coals and remnants of burnt wood may not be placed in a college
dumpster until they are fully extinguished. Empty the coals and ash prior to starting a new fire
to prevent build up. Cold coals can be thrown in a nearby garbage dumpster.
• Burn only dry seasoned wood or quick-starting logs designed for use in campfires or fireplaces.
Wood is provided at the north end of the Student Services Building.
• Never burn treated wood, construction lumber, or any material that can pose an environmental
or health hazard (e.g., plastic, styrofoam, oil, or rubber). 17