Scare Mongering Run Amok: UPDATE

So yeah, this article was linked so I noticed when I logged onto the campus computer network. Ok, only one teensy tiny problem. Check out this quote.

Since 2000, 113 students have died from fires at campus housing. Fourteen have died in the state of Ohio.

Now, not to sound callous, but 113 students died from a fire in what, 7 years? Umm...yeah, I don't really see the danger. Doing the math, that means about 16 people or so died a year. Unfortunately, due to the bias of the scare piece, we don't know how that compares to the number of students drinking themselves to death or the number of students overdosing on caffeine pills trying to keep up with homework or even how many students die from a car accident trying to drive from campus to their hometown. (Of course, I am assuming most of these numbers would be pretty low, but how would they compare to 16 fire deaths a year?) Now, adjusting the idea a bit, how many students are raped or have major theft occur each year? Now, yeah, it may not be death, but the article says,

When you ask a college student how high fire safety ranks on things they care about many reply it's at the bottom of the list.

So, doesn't that mean that it might be reasonable for students to be more worried about getting raped, having an iPod stolen from their vehicle, or heck, what about failing a class? When it comes to things to worry about, being one of 16 students a year who die in a fire sounds like pretty good odds.

Ultimately, that is what makes this a scare piece. With more than enough legitimate concerns, how high should a fire be in students' minds? I have to agree with the students asked, not very high.

Note: I actually emailed the author of the piece with my opinion. I will update this post if I happen to get a reply.

UPDATE: I received an email in response where the author said she was trying to alert people to make sure they had a fire extinguisher. She asks, "Why should anyone die because there wasn't one handy?" I guess she missed my point about how it was about 16 people who died. And, by the way, her piece didn't even mention how many of the deaths were located near an extinguisher. See, maybe students have one, but can't use it. (Yep, I sure as heck would be looking at the directions. Well, until I said screw it and ran.) Then again, why should students be that concerned? 16 a year or so. Aren't there other dangers to worry about? Guess she missed that point of my comment. Oh well. At least she replied. That is a plus.