Towers residents experience three fire alarms within two weeks

Within the one month that classes have been in session at Wayne State, three fire alarms have prompted Towers residents out of their dorms.

The Tower’s first fire alarm incident, which was a mandated drill, occurred late in the evening on September 21. Three days later on September 24, the second was due to a small kitchen fire around 9:00 a.m. Most recently, the third was a false pull made by students at approximately 5:30 a.m. on October 4, according to university officials.

“It is our hope that the only fire alarm that we have go off is when we do the drill and if there is a real fire or threat to the residents of the building,” said Jeanine Bessette, director of Housing and Residential Life. “The one fire alarm that was pulled is something we take very seriously.”

WSU police have clearly stipulated consequences for false fire alarms in their safety awareness handbook, which can be found at: http://police.wayne.edu/handbook.php.

The handbook states, “Activating a fire alarm, while knowing that no fire exists, is not a ‘prank’, it is a crime under state law. The guilty party can receive up to one year in jail, and/or a fine of up to $1,000, in addition to university sanctions.”

William Kemp, associate director of WSU Risk Management and certified fire safety inspector, said that the State of Michigan Bureau of Fire Services requires three mandatory drills in the residence halls per year, which changed from last year’s policy of drills once a month.

All three of Tower’s fire alarms have woken up freshman sociology major Miranda Brouwers. It is procedure for residents to exit the building via the nearest stairwell. Brouwers said that this is the worst part of fire alarms.

“To me, the words ‘fire alarm’ are negative. Those are eight flights of stairs down, eight flights of stairs up. That’s cold air, just sitting outside on my phone, and just lots of complaining,” Brouwers said.

Brouwers has noticed that many of her fellow residents did not follow protocol and participate during the last fire alarm. She said that several students, including herself, took their time exiting the building and didn’t leave until their shoes and clothes were on.

“The fear just isn’t there anymore,” Brouwers said.

For students who choose to not to participate in fire drills and ignore alarms, doing so is also a punishable offense.

“Those that are found to have not left the building will be held responsible through the Community Living Guide and the Judicial Process,” Bessette said. “We take students not leaving the building very seriously because of the safety of every individual in case of a real fire.”

Bessette said she currently does not have any new plans, programs or policies in place to better educate students regarding fire alarms. Expectations for fire safety are reviewed at floor meetings at the beginning of the year.

“Consult the WSU Fire Safety Manual at: www.risk.wayne.edu and the WSU Housing Handbook’s Fire Safety Section,” Kemp said. “Also, annually, I personally provide fire and life safety training to WSU Housing Resident Assistants and Community Directors. If you are a resident of the Towers, consult with Mr. Ahmad Hassan and Ms. Dana Calandrino who are the Community Directors.”

Contact Aleanna Siacon at 586-354-5040 or fv7748@wayne.edu. Follow her on Twitter: @Aterese11.

http://www.thesouthend.wayne.edu/news/article_9353f3f8-7106-11e5-b434-4f59de2c60b4.html