The recent fire drills in the residence halls and greek houses are one way Iowa State is keeping its students safe, ISU officials said. Director of Residence Randy Alexander said drills are conducted annually by the residence halls, usually in the first two to three weeks of classes. Drills are also held in fraternity houses, said Josh Ehlen, risk manager for Phi Delta Theta fraternity, 2035 Sunset Drive and freshman in chemical engineering. He said the Ames fire marshal assists his chapter in fire drills several times per month, and each house has its own drill schedule. In addition to drills, the State Fire Marshal’s office in Des Moines conducts residence hall inspections every two years, and the Ames Fire Department inspects greek houses once a year, said Deputy Chief Paul Sandoval of the Ames Fire Department. Gary Schwartz, associate director of residence for operations, said the last system-wide residence hall inspection was done this past summer. In addition, residence hall staff regularly checks the systems. “Every device is inspected at least once a year,” Schwartz said. Sandoval said an engine company and a truck company from the Ames Fire Department inspect fraternities and sororities for violations related to blocked exits, use of extension cords, missing outlet covers and broken windows. Inspections also cover stairways. “Typically, those areas are protected by automatic systems,” he said. Sandoval said if an alarm is pulled in the residence halls, the location can be detected. “At the main panel or alarm panel, it will tell us a direction or area where the alarm is sounding,” he said. Alexander said students who pull fire alarms as a joke are engaging in criminal activity and will be issued a fine. Although pranksters pull fire alarms in the residence halls every year, he said it has not been a major issue so far. “I have not heard of any building having unusual problems this year,” he said. In fact, Alexander said there haven’t been any major problems related to fires since November of 1997 when a fire started in Larch Hall. A halogen lamp destroyed an entire room, and the entire third floor suffered smoke damage, Alexander said.