Campus Safety is reassuring students who claimed smoke detectors in McGowan Hall were not set off by a recent cloud of smoke. Safety staffers say the office is extremely attentive to fire safety and regularly makes improvements to the system.
Bob Cragle, Associate Director of Campus Safety, said he guarantees there is nothing to worry about. He said fire emergency measures have gone through numerous improvements lately and campus is safer than ever. “We have actually been doing very well with the smoke detection system on campus and our fire alarm system is extremely safe,” said Cragle.
Cragle says fire alarms can sometimes require attention because they become dirty, dusty, impacted by fumes, or are bumped or touched, and they can set off what is called a “trouble alarm.” This alarm goes straight to the campus safety office and is replaced. The old one is cleaned and set aside for use as a possible future back-up alarm if needed.
It only takes a little of smoke to set off alarms. Steam from popcorn, for example, is one of the most common causes of false fire alarms on campus. When a situation like that occurs, the Safety officers evacuate the whole building as a precaution.
Alarms are also placed close together so that if one happened to malfunction for some reason, another one would go off in its place.
MU has updated the fire alarm system. Safety staff is now notified of alarms through a Network Card System, an advanced fire alarm system. Emergency notification used to happen through a slower, less productive process of phone calls. Now, instead of phone alters when a fire alarm sounds, alerts go straight through to Campus Safety.
“The whole system has been completely re-vamped and is very efficient and effective,” said Cragle. There are also many fire extinguishers throughout campus. Signs that explain campus emergency procedures are posted on campus and every dorm room, and there are sprinkler systems. MU conducts fire drills every semester.
Freshman Krystal Burford thinks the frequent fire drills are an excellent way to prepare for an emergency. “Even though sometimes it can seem like an inconvenience, I know that the drills are for our own safety and will really help the students stay calm and orderly if there ever really is a fire on campus,” she said.
Ann Carey of Groton, NY, the mother of two resident MU students, freshman Megan Carey and junior Ed Carey, says she is pleased with what the school is doing to protect students from fire danger. “I am so glad to hear that the school has improved the fire alarm system and is staying on top of it so well by including regular fire drills,” she says. “Prevention truly is the most important thing when concerning situations like fire.”
Campus Safety can be reached at 570-674-6300.
Fear Not, Fire Safety is Worry-Free
By Jill Edwards
Published: Sunday, February 22, 2009
Updated: Sunday, February 22, 2009 19:02
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