This article left me wordless:  Fire Alarm Causes Panic in Housing Facilities

Early on April 1, multiple false fire alarms were pulled in the housing quad. According to Interim Executive Director of Housing and Residential Life Lynn Hendricks, who sent an email to all housing students Monday morning following the incident around noon, slippery substances were placed on stairwells and hallways, and some doors were tied to prevent individuals from exiting their dorm rooms.

and reminded me to post this one, which left me wordless for different reasons:  McComas Hall enforces building regulations, fire code

Many faculty and students are getting fired up about the newly-enforced building regulations in McComas Hall.

John Forde, head of the communication department, said Mississippi State University’s safety officer advised all fire doors be shut at all times during a building walk-through on March 4.

“We had a safety inspection, and we were encouraged to keep all the fire doors closed as much as possible. One of the highest priorities is to keep everybody safe because we have to do all we can at the university to take care of everybody on campus,” Forde said. “Any time you make any change, there’s always a little adjustment period, but overall, we’re just trying to follow what’s recommended by the university.”

…Goodman also pointed out the building is made entirely of concrete, a substance which does not burn⎯only disintegrates at temperatures reaching over 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit.

In effect, we’ve created a daily risk in return for some rather nebulous benefits should the concrete block ever catch fire. I’m guessing each student has to go through at least two fire doors to get to a classroom, which means four times a day going to class, they have a chance to get hit by the door,” he said. “We have about 60 to 70 percent female students, most of which can’t see out the window, and most of them could get knocked down the stairs if somebody just pushed the door open without looking.”

“Rather nebulous benefits”?  How about investing in some code-compliant hold-open devices?  Just a thought.

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