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TO THE OHIOFIRELISTSERVE.ETC

Since it seems to be a slow time, I will share news from the front at my
school:

ADMINISTRATION EXPIDITES SPRINKLER INSTALLATIONS
Closely following the Seton Hall tragedy,
 (19 Jan 2000 - see www.cnn.com/2000/us/01/19/seton.hall.fire.02/index.html
<http://www.cnn.com/2000/us/01/19/seton.hall.fire.02/index.html> )
Saint Michael's College embarked on a campaign to fully equip all residence
halls with automatic fire sprinklers, regardless of "code requirements" for
the particular building.   In Vermont, "code" is based largely on date of
build, and similar buildings with widely seperated design dates may be
equipped entirely differently.    The former campaign had been to retrofit
one residential building per year.   That schedule was quickly accelerated
and over the next summer ALL of the remaining residence halls were
sprinkled.

Over the course of winter and spring breaks following, the remaining
residential large buildings -apartments- were sprinkled.    Other than 90
townhouses (arranged in condominium fashion) and wood frame residences
slated for phase-out in the near future, Saint Michael's "bulk" student
housing is sprinkled.

HYDRANTS RELIABLE?
On another front, make sure you know WHO is responsible for
checking/maintaining fire hydrants in WHAT areas, and that they are being
checked.  Here at SMC there are two separate water districts (one public,
one private), three municipalities, and a fire authority all on "campus."
This past AY,  a residential fire in a nearby city was complicated by a
hydrant that turned out to be on a shut main.    Soon after our own campus
fire department had its nightmare during training -fortunately- when they
went to dress a hydrant that serves the area and THE HYDRANT TIPPED OVER.
Apparently knocked off its main (likely during plowing), frost valve broken
off, and whoever did it just set it back where it belonged without reporting
the incident.

COLLEGE LIKELY TO ELIMINATE SMOKING IN RESIDENCE HALLS
Our residence halls are "no smoking" areas this summer.    No one may smoke,
even in their own room.    Policy likely to be carried over into academic
year, if not this year, then next.    Attempting compliance with Vermont
regulatory law partly responsible, but also the mess, smell, and a few
incidents where small trash or rug fires started with cigarettes.
Enforcement to be by Res.Life staff.


THREE OR FOUR MORE WEEKS AND OUR COMMUNITIES ARE BACK
Anyone that wants to share some simple 8x11 or 11x14 fire prevention posters
is welcome to look me up by snail mail or email.   I am looking for samples
of what other colleges are putting out there for safety messages/education
for their residents.   I am also willing to send what we have created
(mostly photocopied "bulletins" and cartoons with a simple message) to
anyone that's interested.


Jim Mossman
Security Officer & Fire Prevention Officer
Saint Michael's College Safety & Security
One Winooski Park / Box 280
Colchester, VT  05439

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FIRE  PREVENTION    -    A  SKILL  FOR  LIFE


Saint Michaels College
Founded in 1904 by the Society of St.Edmund and headed by President Marc A.
vanderHeyden, has been identified by U.S. News & World Report for 11
consecutive years as one of the top 15 North Regional Universities in the
nation.   A Catholic, residential college, located in Colchester, VT, two
miles from the state's largest city of Burlington, Saint Michael's has 1,900
full-time undergraduate students, and another 650 graduate students and 200
international students studying part time.  A highly respected, vibrant
academic community, Saint Michael's College was named a "Best Buy" in Money
Magazine's selection of "schools that deliver the highest quality education
for the tuition they charge.