Hope you don't mind my throwing in my two cents. I would agree that the first
and foremost priority is to get the people out. A fire alarm system is critical
to this end, but don't sell short on sprinklers. You said that the sprinklers
protect the property after the people are out. Yes this is true, but sprinklers
also saved the lifes of several occupants in an appartment on UNM when a single
sprinkler extinguished a grease fire. The students were in another part of the
apartment, oblivious to the hazard and fire. Sprinklers will also control smoke
propogation by controlling the fire (depending of course on how long the fire
smoldered prior to sprinkler actcivation). Another New Mexico university saw
extensive smoke damage in a building (not a dorm) due to a fire in an
unsprinklered building. Consider not only the life hazard, but the property
damage, down time of the building for repairs, additional costs to the college
for new equipment - manhours - lost revenue to repair the damage. damaged
property claims by students, law suits by parents, additional emergency response
manpower to fight a working fire, media coverage etc. etc. etc. What is needed
is a combined effort of a good detection/alarm/sprinkler/education/inspection
system in all college residential buildings.
Automatic digest processor wrote:
> There is one message totalling 45 lines in this issue.
>
> Topics of the day:
>
> 1. Campus Fire Safety Forum II
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 2 Jul 2000 13:00:50 -0400
> From: Richard Wadleigh <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Campus Fire Safety Forum II
>
> As far at this NJ university is concerned, early alerting and prompt =
> evacuation is still the first and biggest part of life safety. Sprinklers =
> will protect the property after occupants are out. I've had some administra=
> tors question the need for upgraded fire alarm systems now that we are =
> sprinklering all student residence. Fortunately, they respond to educationa=
> l efforts.
>
> Richard S. Wadleigh, CHCM, EMT
> Associate Director of Public Safety
> & Chief, EMS
> Rowan University
> 201 Mullica Hill Road
> Glassboro, NJ 08028-1701
> (856) 256 4570
> FAX (856) 256-4925
>
> >>> [log in to unmask] 06/30/00 02:32PM >>>
> Ed,
>
> I think the "Hot Button" for colleges and universities is the installation
> of sprinklers in residence halls. While I have been in fire protection =
> for
> over thirty years, and I am a strong supporter of sprinklers, I only hope
> that people do not forget the importance of having a modern fire alarm
> system in the residence halls that will provide early warning and
> facilitate rapid and orderly evacuation before sprinklers would be
> activated. It appears to me that in New Jersey, there has been no mention
> of fire alarm systems adequacy or planned improvements. In my opinion,
> this could be a big mistake.
>
> Elliot L.Greenberg
> New York University
> Department of Environmental Services
> Tel: 212-998-1438
> Fax: 212-673-9740
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of OHIOFIRE Digest - 30 Jun 2000 to 2 Jul 2000 (#2000-96)
> *************************************************************
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