Muleskinner

Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: News

fire safety­­- Missouri does not provide fire codes for state universities, therefore there are no legal code requirements the University must abide by.

Each semester, numerous educational institutions provide on-campus housing to college students. While anxiety may be a concern for students, parents worry for their son or daughter's well-being. Last on most people's list is a concern and awareness for fire safety.

Larry Province, UCM safety manager, said Missouri does not have a state-specified fire code. "Around campus, we use national fire codes for guidelines, for routine and everyday things," Province said.

He said since the University complexes are state facilities, their fire codes are determined by the state, and Missouri does not have one.

"There are no legal fire code requirements we have to live up to," Province said.

Sean Douglas, Warrensburg Assistant Fire Chief, said the city uses the 2000 International Fire Code. "We're kind of at an odd position in our state, mainly because we do not have a state-wide fire code," Douglas said.

Province said although Warrensburg firefighters do not have jurisdiction on campus; their relationship is mainly response oriented.

"We work well with them [Warrensburg firefighters]," Province said. "The reality is if they're involved in fire suppression, they're in charge."

"We don't do inspections on campus," Douglas said. "If we notice something, we refer to Central to let them do what they want. Our involvement is to respond. We realize we have no jurisdiction on campus. We don't have a large number of fires on campus."

Province has worked at Central full-time since 1983. He said the University installed smoke detectors around 1986 into University housing.

"We knew we had to do something. We could do smoke detectors cheaper, and it allowed us to get help faster," Province said.

Province explained how the smoke detectors are linked to a central system. If one is set off, an office assistant (OA) contacts a residence hall director and/or a community adviser (CA). If need be, authorities are then contacted.

Daniel Fleischman, sophomore computer-aided drafting and design technology major, works as an OA in South Yeater. This semester, Fleischman said he has not had to respond to an alarm, but is aware of what to do in case of an emergency.

Continued...

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