Small fire empties Idyllwild Arts Academy dorm

A small fire resulted in the evacuation of a dormitory at the Idyllwild
Arts Academy on Sunday, September 15. A letter from Academy President
Pamela Jordan to the Associates of Idyllwild Arts noted that all
students were safe and there were no injuries. The displaced students
have been moved to other dorms, “where many are housed three to a room.”
The school is working with a remediation specialist to determine the
process and timeline for reopening the building.

Jordan went on to describe the role of the Academy’s Emergency Response
Center, implemented three years ago. It is operated by a private,
state-recognized and certified fire and security agency, and is under
the direction of Fire Chief Dave Marks. Crew members are “state licensed
and certified First Responders,” each holding the “multi-role status of
firefighter, emergency medical technician, and security personnel,” and
the team “augments local emergency response agencies.” In this case they
evacuated the dormitory, extinguished the fire, cut off power to the
building, and provided “detailed scene size-up to the Idyllwild Fire
Protection District.”

Jordan called the Center “unique among public, private and boarding
schools,” and credited the team with a safe outcome. “Ensuring the
safety of our students and the entire Idyllwild Arts community is our
highest priority. We are thankful that the safety measures we have put
in place helped us do just that.”