DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — Fire safety was the talk on campus Wednesday at one Central Illinois University.

The 10th annual Nick Project was promoting awareness at Millikin University in Decatur.

Nick Schwalbach died in a fraternity house fire 25 years ago. For the past ten years, his family and Millikin have been remembering him. They’re spreading awareness so no other family has to go through the same loss.

“In honor of him, his family started this annual event just to spread awareness about fire safety,” Alela Kinyua, Millikin’s Residence Life Coordinator, said.

For a decade, the Nick Project has been key to educating students on fire safety at Millikin. At the event, fire extinguishers, smoke alarms, and ladders were handed out.

The Decatur Fire Department and Millikin residence assistants were also there helping to spread awareness. Kinyua said that it’s key to preventing another loss like Nick’s.

“We hear so many times how students just lose their lives if they’re not hearing alarms go off or if they’re just not taking fire safety as serious. You know, we did the fire drills when we were in high school, we even do fire drills here with our residence halls just so that students know how imperative it is to get out as quickly as possible,” Kinyua added.

Many students came to get the materials they need to stay safe.

“I learned that I am supposed to have a fire extinguisher in my apartment, and my apartment building did not provide me with one,” Ashleigh Johnson-Jones, a senior at Millikin, shared.

She also said that after hearing about Nick’s story, she has taken fire safety very seriously.

“I think that it’s important for college students to be educated on the things that we need to keep ourselves safe and our roommates and our friends on campus safe.”

Through awareness, education, and action, they’re turning tragedy into purpose.

Thanks to the Nick Project, students walked away today with more than just safety gear.
They’re also gaining life-saving knowledge, and keeping Nick’s memory alive.

People can donate to the Nick Project. They can designate their gift to the “Nicholas Schwalbach Fire Prevention and Education Fund.”