At Colgate University, Campus Safety is the first responder to all fire
alarm activation's including Fraternities and Sororities.
In University owned buildings, (dormitories) Campus Safety responds to the
immediate area to determine if there is a true emergency. Then, even if
there is no emergency, all rooms are keyed into, to check for complete
evacuation before the alarm system is silenced. We are in the Northeast and
don't care if it's 0 degrees and snowing, we still check for complete
evacuation.
If students do not evacuate, they are issued a citation and are fined $25
each.
In cases where there is an actual emergency, Campus Safety will open
designated academic or athletic building lobbies and hallways to get
students out of the weather.
In Fraternities and Sororities, Campus Safety responds and only check the
actual area of the violation of the fire alarm system to be sure there is or
is not an actual emergency. Since the Greek houses are not property of the
college we do not check for evacuation, only in an emergency we will try to
completely evacuate. Campus Safety is not master keyed to the Greek houses.
John Basher
Assistant Director of Fire Safety
Colgate University
13 Oak Drive
Hamilton, NY 13346
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-----Original Message-----
From: Randy Horman [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Monday, May 01, 2000 8:30 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Fire Drills & Evacuation issues
I thank all of you who provided input into the fire drill forum, I would
like to take the next step in this fire drill discussion. What is an
effective way to determine if every one has left the building. This is for
both fire drills and actual activations (fire alarms, etc..) This will be
crossing over into the evacuation issue. However, a fire drill is a
simulated evacuation.
Does any one key into all of the rooms to ensure that every one has left
the building? (especially 3:00 AM on a Sunday morning with 4 inches of snow
on the ground), what are some pros and cons ?
Pros = 1) 100 % effective to ensure compliance with fire alarms &
evacuation. 2) After doing this a few times, students know their room will
be checked, and may less hesitant to stay or have delay in leaving the room.
Cons = 1) Staffing issues in checking the rooms. 2) Amount of time needed
to check the rooms. 3) Locations that have multiple false alarms in one
evening, may not perform complete room checks after the 2nd or 3rd alarm.
Anyone have any option on sheltering in place? We instruct and tell these
students from day one, they need to leave the building when their is an
emergency. The times are few and far between, but, do we do an acceptable
job in teaching the students when is it "OK" not to leave the room because
of a heavy smoke condition or fire condition that may be in the hallway
outside of their room?
In addition to working on refining a procedure with our Police and
Residence LIfe staff dealing with evacuation, I am facilitating this
discussion in a meeting on Thursday with campus fire safety officials and
administrators here in the State of Ohio. I would like to share your
comments as campus fire safety professionals. Please feel free to provide
input. I hope we all can add to the list of pros and cons (I as well as the
rest of you, are interested in how other schools deal with similar issues)
As many life safety devices, notification appliances and early warning
systems we install in these residence halls, if the students do not leave
the building then we are faced with other issues.
I appreciate your time, Have a good day.
-Randy-
___________________________________________________
Randall L. Hormann [log in to unmask]
Miami University 6 Hughes Hall (EHSO)
Fire/Safety Specialist Oxford, Ohio 45056
Fire Safety Inspector Office: 513-529-2461
http://www.ehs.muohio.edu/ Fax: 513-529-2830
Page me Via E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
State: Fire Safety Inspector - Instructor (Ohio)
Chair: International Assoc. of Campus Fire Safety Officials
Member: Ohio Fire Chiefs Assoc., Fire Code Committee.
Member: Ohio Fire Officials Association.
Advisor:Sigma Alpha Epsilon - Fraternity.
Advisor:Alpha Lambda Delta/Phi Eta Sigma - National Honor Society.
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