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The Rice Thresher
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by Kevin Grahmann For the Thresher Fire alarms blared through Sid Richardson College when someone tampered with valves controlling water flow to the fire sprinkler system Sept. 6. This was one of eight false fire alarms set off at Sid Richardson and Baker Colleges last week, creating a potentially dangerous sense of apathy among students in those colleges. "Apparently somebody opened [the flow switches]," Frank Rodriguez, assistant director of business for Housing and Dining, said about the Sid incident. "That trips an alarm automatically." Sid President Anisha Patel said she believes the person who tampered with the water sprinkler flow valves did not intend to set off a fire alarm. However, setting off the alarm can result in a $600 fine. Sid freshman Clare Johnson said Sid students did not react when the alarm went off because false alarms occur frequently. "The only people who really went downstairs and left the building were freshmen," Johnson said. "However, ... the second time the alarm went off, everyone pretty much ignored it." Baker also experienced six false fire alarms in 40 minutes Sept. 7, but these alarms were the result of someone pulling the levers in boxes mounted on the walls. Like students at Sid, Baker students showed little reaction to the alarms. "The fire alarms go off at least once a week," Baker junior Justin Brickell said. "Everyone ignores them." Baker President Neil Little suspects students from another college activated the pull boxes as part of a "jack,"or prank, against Baker. However, since the University Police have no leads, it is unlikely that guilty parties will be found. Attempting to remedy this problem, Baker discussed the issue of false fire alarms in their cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Rodriguez said the more people set off fire alarms, the more students will accept them as a common occurrence and be apathetic to the warnings. "We really don't want students to be apathetic that way, especially when there's a real fire and you can't get people down from the top floor of Sid Rich," Rodriguez said. "One of the biggest parts of my responsibility is to make sure everyone is safe and secure in the residential space. "By tripping alarms or just tinkering with stuff, you're putting everyone in jeopardy - I don't like it." Students tampering with flow valves to set off a fire alarm, like they did at Sid, are a new problem for H&D. "This is the first year we actually had trouble with people tampering with the flow switches," Rodriguez said. "That's not something we're used to because ordinarily that doesn't happen." In the past, most fire alarms were set off when someone activated a pull box. "Frequently this happens toward the beginning of the semester when people are settling in, looking to play pranks," Police Chief Bill Taylor said. H&D sent an e-mail to the colleges last week emphasizing they will not tolerate false alarms. If a college or individual sets off a false alarm, H&D will charge the party responsible a $600 dollar fine. "I sent out the e-mail as a warning," Rodriguez said. "If we get any more of this, colleges will be fined. ... We don't want to fine colleges, but we will if we have to." Taylor said the University Police will take extra measures to stop the intentional setting of fire alarms only if it continues to be a problem. In January 2000, a fire in a dorm at Seton Hall University in New Jersey killed three and injured 58. Alarms went off when the fire started but most students did not react because false alarms were common at the dorm. Rodriguez warned students about the possibility of a similar situation happening at Rice, telling students not to ignore fire alarms in their colleges. "If you hear a fire alarm, react to it," Rodriguez said. "You need to see what's going on for your own sake."
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