Lawrinson Hall has experienced an increase in the frequency of fire alarm activations this semester, according to the Department of Public Safety.

In February alone Lawrinson has had five fire alarm activations, while last semester there were just as many in a longer amount of time, according to Lt. Andrew Mrozienski of Public Safety.

‘It’s unfortunate, it’s very uncommon for the fire alarm system to react this frequently,’ said John Rossiter, safety manager at the Safety Department.

Syracuse University averages about 350 alarms a year, Rossiter said. Every time an alarm is set off there is an investigation to determine the cause. The fire alarms have gone off for different reasons each time.

‘It hasn’t been the same problem, it’s just been a different problem each time,’ Rossiter said. ‘The alarm wasn’t repetitive in nature at all.’

A sprinkler leak in Lawrinson Hall’s garage set off a fire alarm Feb. 5 at 3:46 p.m., Rossiter said.

Two fire alarms on the 16th floor of Lawrinson went off the next day at 5:55 a.m. and 6:25 a.m. for unknown causes, Rossiter said. The fire alarms on the floor were cleaned and replaced by the Physical Plant’s Electronics Department.

‘I was exhausted and I felt like I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed again,’ said Erin Drankoski, a sophomore majoring in public relations who lives on the 17th floor of Lawrinson, in reference to hearing the second alarm go off.

On Feb. 11 at 2:58 a.m., moisture in a smoke detector and water movement through the sprinkler system caused the fire alarms in Lawrinson to activate, Rossiter said.

‘They aren’t actually drills, they’ve just been going off randomly in the middle of the night when everyone is trying to get to sleep,’ Drankoski said. ‘Half of my floor practically sleeps through the alarms.’

On Feb. 21 at 12:16 a.m., students playing basketball on the fifth floor broke a smoke detector with a basketball, setting off the fire alarm system, Rossiter said.

‘They’re not very durable,’ Rossiter said.

Colder temperatures have caused more frequent fire alarm activations due to mechanical reasons this semester, Rossiter said.

‘We have colder weather which has an affect on the sprinkler system,’ Rossiter said.

There are fewer problems with fire alarms in academic buildings, Mrozienski said.

‘The residence halls have more square footage and they have more devices,’ which is one of the reasons why alarms are more frequent, Rossiter said.

Public Safety will have a meeting next week to discuss the high number of alarm activations in Lawrinson, Mrozienski said.

In an effort to reduce the number of fire alarm activations, the Physical Plant conducts a preventative maintenance program each year, Rossiter said. The program entails removing, cleaning and replacing every fire detector on campus, Rossiter said.

‘I just wish they’d fix it, because there’s clearly something wrong,’ said Josh Guterman, a sophomore majoring in public relations who lives on the seventh floor of Lawrinson. ‘Let’s be honest, this whole building needs to be redone. For $40,000 a year you expect it (to work).’

Guterman said he and his roommate look forward to moving out of Lawrinson Hall.

‘We just go outside and we say, ‘Just a few more months,” Guterman said.

Making it so that the alarms don’t go off so often is in the best interest of the students, Drankoski said.

‘The problem should be fixed, and I don’t think it’s so much of a request to ask that it be fixed soon because it’s for our safety,’ she said.

Mrozienski said he does not think that the fire alarms in Lawrinson Hall are too sensitive.

‘It’s better to pick up a possible fire than not pick up a possible fire,’ he said.

Published on February 23, 2005 at 12:00 pm