Five University residence halls do not have complex-wide fire sprinkler systems, and administrators have no plans to retrofit the aging buildings because they say it is too costly and there are already plans to build new ones.
Although the University has measures in place to protect students, including smoke alarms and prohibition of potentially hazardous items such as candles and hot plates, fire safety officials say sprinklers are necessary.
“(Sprinklers) are absolutely critical to the life-safety of a dwelling,” Eugene Assistant Fire Marshal Doug Perry said. “Certainly in places where people are sleeping.”
But the University is not violating state law because the residence halls were built when the Oregon Fire Code did not require sprinklers. The code has since been modified to require sprinklers in newly-constructed residence halls, but it does not stipulate that old residence halls must be retrofitted.
Housing Director Allen Gidley said the University is focusing its efforts on planning renovations and the construction of a new residence hall, and that without a major renovation of a building it is very costly to install sprinklers.
“We’ve taken a look at it and it is amazingly expensive,” Gidley said.
Retrofitting old buildings with fire sprinklers can be much more expensive than installing systems in new construction, according to the American Fire Sprinkler Association, which reported that a retrofit will cost roughly $2 to $3 per square foot of installation.
The Strategic Housing Plan, the University’s 10-year project designed to boost the number of beds and give the residence halls a face-lift, leaves room for construction of new residence halls as well as renovation of the old ones. It is unclear how many students will remain in the old, un-sprinkled residence halls when the Strategic Housing Plan gets rolling.
Nationally, fire sprinkler systems have been praised for their effectiveness and ability to save lives in the case of a fire.
“Ninety-eight percent of all fires that break out in buildings with a working fire suppression system are put out by one or two (sprinkler) heads,” Chuck Campbell, the University fire protection manager, said.
The American Fire Sprinkler Association reported that sprinklers typically reduce the chance of death in a fire by one-half to two-thirds in all the properties where they are in use, according to its Web site.
“The chance of surviving a structural fire in a building that is sprinkled is far greater than in a building that is not,” Perry said. “I’d love it if every building in town were sprinkled. The University has taken steps to sprinkle buildings where they can.”
University Housing has working sprinkler systems in Living Learning Center, Carson and Barnhart residence halls, Campbell said. Because of changes made to the Oregon Fire Code, all new campus buildings must be constructed with sprinkler systems. Additionally, all buildings that are classified as high-rise structures – four stories or higher – must also be retrofitted with sprinkler systems, which is why both Carson and Barnhart have the systems installed, Campbell said.
Bean, Earl and Riley Complexes all have sprinkler systems in the basements, but not on any other floor. Campbell said that is because in the 1960s the Oregon Fire Code mandated all basements of apartment buildings be sprinkled because the heaters were fire hazards.
Gidley said any new residence hall constructed on campus will be built with a fire suppression system.
The Center for Campus Fire Safety, a Massachusetts-based organization, suggests that prospective students and their parents ask each college they visit if all the school’s residential buildings are equipped with sprinklers before choosing to attend.
University Housing has taken many other steps to ensure fire safety of its residence halls, Campbell said.
“It’s really important to note that our housing department is dead serious about fire safety,” said Campbell, who personally inspects every residence hall on campus for fire safety.
Many potential fire hazards – including candles, portable heaters, microwaves and halogen lamps – are precluded from the halls by each student’s contract.
Additionally, each residence hall is equipped with smoke alarms that are tested while Campbell is inspecting the halls for the hazardous items.
Perry said that while smoke alarms are important and necessary to the safety of residents in a building, it is important to do more than warn residents of potential fires.
Sprinkler heads are individually activated by heat, Campbell said, which is why most fires are put out by so few heads.
“Housing is in the throes of figuring out what its going to do,” Campbell said. “They need to build new residence halls, so they have to think, ‘Are we going to spend a big chunk of change to retrofit Bean Complex now?’”
Gidley said he hopes to have plans and a location for a new residence hall in place very soon.
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