Fire Code Violation Surprises Students
Outer locks on bathroom doors of several dorms were removed over winter break due to a Virginia Fire Code violation
Issue date: 2/3/10 Section: News
By Cathy Onorati
Rotunda Reporter
Students returning to their dorm rooms this semester noticed something missing. The locks on the outside of the bathroom doors that connect one room to another were gone, due to the September 2009 documentation of a fire code violation. Fire Marshal Ken Kent went through campus last semester and documented the outer locks as a fire code violation. The reasoning was that being able to lock these doors meant that it blocked exit from the bathroom in case of an emergency situation.
Longwood Associate Director for Housing under Residential and Commuter Life (RCL) Doug Howell explained that this was a "non-negotiable" statewide decision and the change could not wait until the end of the school year. Howell stated, "If a student is unable to go from room side through their bathroom in the event of an emergency and get out the other side as a secondary point of [exit], then you have a problem."
"Slide bolt door locks" were removed from Stubbs, ARC, Cunninghams, and French Residence Halls. Locks from study rooms in French were also removed. Longwood's Director for Environmental Health and Safety Jim White worked to clarify the fire code citation by questioning the need for an immediate response. "I first requested a variance from the Fire Marshal to allow us to continue our operations, however after he communicated to his superiors in Richmond; we were advised that the locks come off now." White found that the "code has always been there and all dorm facilities must adhere to it."
Students are a little uneasy about the situation and find the reasoning behind the fire code to be taking things a little too far, without consideration for other safety issues involved with the removal of these locks. Junior and Stubbs resident Jessica Wise situation, "I am more concerned about the safety of my room than about the chance that one of my roommates would lock me in the bathroom in the event of an emergency…I think theft is a more serious issue, given how many robberies are reported on campus versus how many fires there are." The Crime Statistics Report for 2008 posted on the Campus Police's website shows that there were 10 burglaries in residence halls in 2008.
Rotunda Reporter
Students returning to their dorm rooms this semester noticed something missing. The locks on the outside of the bathroom doors that connect one room to another were gone, due to the September 2009 documentation of a fire code violation. Fire Marshal Ken Kent went through campus last semester and documented the outer locks as a fire code violation. The reasoning was that being able to lock these doors meant that it blocked exit from the bathroom in case of an emergency situation.
Longwood Associate Director for Housing under Residential and Commuter Life (RCL) Doug Howell explained that this was a "non-negotiable" statewide decision and the change could not wait until the end of the school year. Howell stated, "If a student is unable to go from room side through their bathroom in the event of an emergency and get out the other side as a secondary point of [exit], then you have a problem."
"Slide bolt door locks" were removed from Stubbs, ARC, Cunninghams, and French Residence Halls. Locks from study rooms in French were also removed. Longwood's Director for Environmental Health and Safety Jim White worked to clarify the fire code citation by questioning the need for an immediate response. "I first requested a variance from the Fire Marshal to allow us to continue our operations, however after he communicated to his superiors in Richmond; we were advised that the locks come off now." White found that the "code has always been there and all dorm facilities must adhere to it."
Students are a little uneasy about the situation and find the reasoning behind the fire code to be taking things a little too far, without consideration for other safety issues involved with the removal of these locks. Junior and Stubbs resident Jessica Wise situation, "I am more concerned about the safety of my room than about the chance that one of my roommates would lock me in the bathroom in the event of an emergency…I think theft is a more serious issue, given how many robberies are reported on campus versus how many fires there are." The Crime Statistics Report for 2008 posted on the Campus Police's website shows that there were 10 burglaries in residence halls in 2008.
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