The considerations of human safety and preservation of facilities are examined in relation to school fires. Various aspects of planning which would decrease the probability of fires and thereby save life and property are reviewed and include--(1) causes, (2) automatic protection devices, (3) evacuation and fire drills, and (4) construction features. Each aspect is documented with specific examples of actual school fires and their consequences. A listing of school fires which caused fatalities is given, as well as 650 other incidents of fires and statistics concerning them. (RS)