Page 8 - Campus Security & Life Safety, November 2017

COVER STORY
THE IMPORTANCE
OF FIRE ALARMS
How duress alarm systems work during evacuations By Michael Um
IN 1958, DISASTER STRUCK CHICAGO’S OUR LADY OF THE ANGELS SCHOOL IN THE FORM OF FIRE. AS EVACU- ATIONS BEGAN, A TEACHER MANAGED TO PULL THE FIRE ALARM WHILE LEAVING THE BUILDING—BUT NO ALARM SOUNDED. THE TEACHER GOT HER CHILDREN OUTSIDE, AND THEN WENT BACK INTO THE SCHOOL TO PULL THE FIRE ALARM AGAIN.
This time the alarm did sound, but it was not connected to the local fire department. In fact, not only did the building have no direct con- nection to fire department, it also had no automatic fire alarm at all. Though smoke detectors had yet to appear on the market, there were rate-of-rise heat detectors, but none were installed. A member of the housekeeping staff did finally alert the Chicago Fire Department, but unfortunately relayed the wrong address, so their arrival was delayed.
CS8 WWW.CAMPUSLIFESECURITY.COM | NOVEMBER 2017
A SPECIAL SECTION TO SECURITY TODAY AND THE JOURNAL
CAMPUS SECURITY & LIFE SAFETY