2008 Woodie Awards
Merton and Seton hall residents annoyed by fire alarms
Rachelle Murphy
Issue date: 2/23/06 Section: Perspectives
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Residents of both Merton and Seton halls are fed up with the fire alarms. Residents are upset and angry at the people who keep pulling the alarms.
"The fire alarms are absolutely ridiculous. The people, who pull the alarm, don't understand that they have to stand outside too. Also, they need to take into consideration the firefighters. They rush here on so many false alarms when there could actually be a real emergency somewhere," said Valerie Caporusso, freshman, Shohola, Pa.
Many students and other school officials have voiced their concerns for the safety of the firefighters that respond to the alarm.
"Every time a fire alarm is maliciously pulled, the fire department responds to campus with lights and sirens. They put themselves in jeopardy racing here to respond to a serious emergency, to find out that it was a prank. Their job is dangerous enough, so we cannot tolerate these kinds of behaviors. Additionally, when they respond to spiteful false alarms, other people in the community are being put in jeopardy. These persons in the community who may need the fire department's assistance will have to wait longer for help when they are in real crisis," said Jack Fernandez, head supervisor of Public Safety.
Students are wondering what is being done to prevent more fire alarms. They are speculating if a device or devices should be installed to prevent students who are trying to pull the alarm.
"They should install cameras and ink dispensers. Once caught, the people who pull the alarm should be arrested and sent to jail," said Justin Koonz, senior, Bethlehem.
Koonz is an RA in Merton Hall, where a lot of the fire alarms have been pulled. He has lost a lot of sleep, which is also affecting other RA's on his staff, and the residents in the building.
"I definitely have a lack of sleep and concentration from the fire alarms, which makes classes and practice a lot harder. The days just seem to drag on. Then when you go to bed, you worry about getting hit with another [fire alarm] and you still lose sleep trying to be ready for one," said Michael Delviscovo, junior, Medford, Mass.