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Wednesday Aug, 23, 1989 / University Daily Kansan
Yelling fire in a crowded residence hall Emergency procedures program reducing false alarm calls
by Susan Newburger
Kansan staff writer
You're sitting at your desk in your residence hall room, immersed in the intricacies of calculus or French grammar.
should you go?
The residents of Lewis Hall know.
Suddenly you smell smoke. What should you do?
They won a contest last year sponsored by the Lawrence Fire Department. Lewis had the highest percentage of attendance at a fire awareness meeting.
Lewis's title will be on the line during this year's meetings, scheduled for the first two weeks of the fall semester.
The meetings are part of an educational program developed by the fire department in conjunction with the residence halls.
"We have a wonderful relationship with the fire department," said Jean Morrow, assistant director of residence life.
The fire department begins its
program each August, when the firefighters meet with residence hall directors, assistant directors, and resident assistants during three separate training periods. The firefighters cover emergency procedures.
"We get to be pretty good at crisis handling." Morrow said.
The sessions with students stress prevention and emergency procedures.
"They teach students to use their heads during a fire," Morrow said. The firefighters also talk about the use of electrical appliances.
The fire department developed the program to decrease the number of false alarms they received from the University of Kansas.
"It has drastically reduced the number of calls at all halls each year," said Rich Barr, fire marshal.
Barr said the department wanted to stress education over punishment for an intentional false alarm.
"We normally don't dwell on penalties, but reasoning." Barr said.
If a person is found guilty of turning in a malicious false alarm, he could face a $200 fine and up to 180 days in jail, according to the Lawrence city code. State law also provides for a $500 fine and up to one year in jail.
Most false alarms are accidentally caused by bugs, real insects and not mechanical problems.
"We don't have much control over
the little critters," said Bob Porter, associate director of facilities operations. He said spider mites often set off the alarms.
But when a real fire does occur, everyone is ready to handle the emergency.
A new alarm system, which is heat and smoke sensitive, will position sensors in each room and hallway of the residence halls. An alarm signal
is received by the KU police, who call
the fire department on a direct line
Morrow said the hall staff also called 911.
"We pre-plan our response for all KU residence halls," Barr said. "We predetermine the command post and engines. Everyone has an initial assignment."
For all structure alarms, the fire department sends two engine companies, one ladder truck and a shift commander.
Since the University is in the center of the city, three different engine companies could respond to a call.
Barr said the residence hall calls were generally handled by two stations. Station Three, 3708 W. Sixth St. and Station Four, 2819 Stone Barn Terrace, respond to most calls.
Fire fighters battle a blaze.
The Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity caught fire in 1987.
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