The University of New Mexico has run into the same problem in the past. 1
1/2 yrs ago we had a basement fire in which to Campus Police officers were
sent to the hospital with smoke inhalation because they ignored our policy
of not entering a smoke filled area. We mandate that room checks by RAs or
Campus Police is limited to areas where there is no smoke, no immediate
threat of fire and they have two ways out. Once they encounter the
slightest sense of smoke or danger, they are to evacuate immediately.  We
have established KNOX boxes with access keys for the fire departmentm to
be installed. We are covered by the city which has a station adjacent to
the dorms and a 3-4 minute response to the most remote dorm from the
station. More info is available at your request.

On Wed, 1 Sep 1999, Jeff Barker wrote:

> Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 20:33:09 -0400
> From: Jeff Barker <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: International Association of Campus Fire Safety Officials
     <OHIOFIRE@LISTSERV.MUOHIO..EDU>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Residents Hall Evacuation Plans
>
> Hello,
>
> I am looking for information on campus residence hall fire alarm evacuation
> plans as it relates to the hall directors and RA's.  Currently at Morehead
> State University the RA's will key each room to check for students not
> leaving.  The time this takes depends on how many RA's are available at the
> time of the alarm and the number of rooms to check, (Sometimes as long as
> 20 minutes).
>
> I have expressed my concern over having untrained student RA's, without any
> safety gear,  remain inside a building after an alarm has sounded.
> Currently 11 of our dorms are not sprinklered yet, but at least this issue
> is being corrected state wide after the Murray State fire.
>
> We are getting ready to review these and other fire safety SOP's, so I am
> looking for information on how other Colleges and Universities have their
> housing staff respond during fire alarms.
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Jeff Barker, EHS
> Morehead State University
> Morehead KY
>