BUILDING TRIANGLE'S FUTURE
FIRE ALARM AND SPRINKLER SYSTEMS PROTECT TRIANGLE LIVES
By Don Hatfield msu88, Triangle Building & Housing Corp Assistant Secretary
The Phi Gamma Delta fraternity fire at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1996 was a tragedy that left five students dead and several others injured. There was no sprinkler system, and no working fire alarm system. The incident sparked a national conversation about fire safety in college fraternity houses and prompted universities across the country to take action to ensure that their students are safe.
One of TBHC’s roles is to serve as an “institutional memory” for Triangle, especially for housing concerns I was a rather fresh alumnus at the time of the Chapel Hill fire, just starting my career as a National Volunteer when the Phi Gamma Delta fire occurred, and a newly-minted father. Over all this time I still remember some key things I learned as that conversation about fire safety took place over 25 years ago: 1.
At the time of the Phi Gamma Delta fire, no more than one civilian death occurred in any fire involving sprinkler systems
I suddenly realized that the Brothers in a Chapter Home could be incapacitated by a long night of partying – so you can’t assume that the Brothers are alert and ablebodied. You must assume they are likely not able to realize that they are in danger until it may be too late. Retrofitting sprinklers into a fraternity house is not cheap nor easy. Like any retrofit, having to route pipes through
walls and along ceilings in every space is expensive.
Fast forward to my 15 years on the TBHC, I am now a father six times over, with children still in college, and I have very high expectations for my children’s safety at school. The cost doesn’t seem so high to have those sprinklers and fire safety systems.
As part of the insurance program, our houses are required to have at least a fire alarm system which is able to alert the fire department, and preferably a sprinkler system in addition. The TBHC’s policy aligns with the insurance program as well, but not just because our insurance company requires it It is TBHC’s responsibility to ensure the safety of all the Brothers in our Chapter Homes
Fire alarm systems are an essential component of any Chapter's fire safety plan They are designed to detect the presence of smoke or flames and to alert both the Brothers and the fire department automatically to the immediate threat This gives the Brothers time to evacuate the building and for firefighters to respond quickly to the scene. Without a functioning fire alarm system, Brothers
Continued from page 1
may not be aware of the fire until it's too late to escape
Sprinkler systems are another critical component of a Chapter's fire safety plan They work by automatically releasing water when the temperature in the room rises above a certain threshold This can help to suppress the fire and prevent it from spreading. In the case of the Phi Gamma Delta fire, the lack of a functioning sprinkler system contributed to the severity of the damage and the loss of life.
The latest statistics from the NFPA show that not only do sprinklers save lives, but they also reduce costs too:
• Sprinklers reduce civilian fire deaths by 83%.
• Sprinklers reduce direct property damage per fire by 69
• Sprinklers reduce civilian fire injury medical costs by 53%,
• Sprinklers reduce civilian fire injury total costs by 41%.
• Sprinklers are responsible for an estimated 65% reduction in firefighter fireground injuries
(https://www nfpa org/-/media/Files/Fire-SprinklerInitiative/sprinklerimpactfactsheet ashx)
All properties we oversee are required to have at least a fire alarm system, and preferably a sprinkler system as well The importance of fire alarm and sprinkler systems in buildings cannot be overstated These systems save lives
If you have questions about your Chapter’s fire safety, please reach out to the TBHC. We are happy to advise you on how to proceed.
KEEP YOUR BROTHERS AND HOUSE SAFE
By Don Hatfield msu88, Triangle Building & Housing Corp Assistant SecretaryKeeping your Chapter safe is an important responsibility for all Brothers, and the Code of Ethics requires it – maintaining your Chapter Home, create an environment to form friendships, maintain your self-respect It’s crucial for the well-being of those living in the House, our guests and the community we live in. It also protects our reputation and the Chapter Home and its assets. As spring break is coming soon, consider some tips and tricks to keeping your House safe:
Establish a Crisis Management Plan: Having clear protocols in place for handling security threats, emergencies, lockdowns, and other critical events is crucial. This should include procedures for contacting the police and other
emergency services, as well as evacuation plans for the house. You can find more information on the TBHC’s Housing Page:
http://www.triangle.org/housing/tbhc-life-safety-tips/
You should have a Safety Meeting to review policies each semester.
Keep doors and windows locked: This may seem obvious, but it’s easy to get complacent. Make sure all doors and windows are locked when no one is home or when people are sleeping Make sure self-closing doors work properly
Regularly check for fire hazards: Make sure that all smoke detectors and fire extinguishers are in working order and that the house is free of any potential fire hazards It’s also a good idea to have regular fire drills to make sure everyone knows what to do in case of an emergency TBHC generally requires sprinklers or at minimum a whole-house fire alarm system with reporting to the local fire department.
Have a plan for dealing with alcohol and drugs: Fraternity houses often have alcohol and drug issues Establish a plan to deal with these problems, and make sure everyone is aware of the consequences of breaking the rules
Keep the House well-lit: Good lighting can help deter potential intruders and make it easier for Brothers and guests to see who is coming and going. Make sure all exterior lights are working and consider installing motion sensor lights.
By following these tips and tricks, you can help keep your Chapter safe and secure. Remember that safety should always be a top priority, and that it is everyone’s responsibility to look out for the well-being of the House, its members, and guests.
THE WINDOW STORY
By Don Hatfield msu88, Triangle Building &Housing
Corp Assistant SecretaryWe interviewed Mike Fouts, the Executive Director of the TBHC, about a story he’s
shared several times to illustrate what the TBHC is all about
“It all starts when we recently acquired the Michigan State Chapter property It was acquired in December 2017, and I was travelling to the Chapter in the early Spring for my first visit. It was a cold but sunny day, and I had gotten a rental car. I was driving from Brownsburg, IN to East Lansing, MI.
I've been to East Lansing a hundred times because I was born in Lansing and my dad went to Michigan State, and I've been up there a lot. So, it was a trip I always enjoyed. And I also wanted to go to the Harrison Roadhouse there on Harrison Road, and there's a great bar downtown called the Green Door. And I had some things in Lansing that I always enjoyed doing. Plus, I just love that campus.
Anyway, so I was in the car, and I hadn’t been on the road more than about 20 minutes, and I got a phone call, and it was someone from the chapter They said, “Hey, somebody broke a window last night There's a path where you walk from Harrison behind the house that people cut through on, and apparently we get a vandalism there from time to time, and someone had broken a window ” And luckily at that house, this window happened to be on the backside of the house where that sidewalk is not facing a street This house is in a Historical District, so if you have a broken window that faces a street, either Harrison or Oak, it's a huge, long
process because of the historical district process. It was just a single pane that needed replaced. And so I said, “Okay, I'll take care of it.”
[The TBHC] had already been managing a couple of houses by now, so this was an easy request. As I was driving, I reached out to a local glass company and said, “Hey, I got a window broken out.” Because it's winter, they said, “We can send somebody over right away.” And I said, “Great!” I continued to drive to the Chapter, and I get there in about three and a half hours, depending on traffic I get there and I go into the House, and I want to go take a look at this window in the House.
And I get in there, and there's like five or six actives standing around, just staring at the window. I walk up behind them, and I’m trying to figure out why they’re all staring at the window. Finally, I say, “Is something wrong?” They're all standing there with their mouths hanging open, and one of them turns around and he goes, The window is fixed!” I said, “Well, yeah“, you called me
I happened to be on the way up here, but you guys called me, and I just called and got it fixed ” He goes, “No, no, you don't understand! The last time we had a broken window, it took six months to get it fixed We called you three and a half hours ago!” I said, “Yeah, man Welcome to TBHC ”
The whole point of our business model when we work with Chapters has always been we get paid to do this. It's not volunteerism, it's not something I'm doing on weekends or nights, on the side with my main job, kids, and wife. I’m not a volunteer alumnus who's stressed out and doesn't even have the time or energy to deal with this stuff. This is our job.
So, when you call us, you get service. And now I can't say that we always fix the problem in three and a half hours. This just happens to be a great example, where everything worked out just perfect. The universe rotated into the right spot and locked in. But I was able to get a hold of somebody, they were available, and they could go over and do it ”
At Triangle Building and Housing, we always say, “Let's get you out of the landlord business and back in the Fraternity business ” That's what we do Let us take care of the building and you take care of the people ”
DO UNIVERSITIES VIEW FRATERNITIES AS COMPETITORS?
By Don Hatfield msu88, Triangle Building & Housing Corp. Assistant SecretaryMany Universities have started treating Fraternities as competition The need to deal with disciplinary issues coupled with a potential source of additional income create an “opportunity” for the university. A couple of key trends have been emerging over the last few years:
Increasing Campus Living Requirements
Most schools have a mandatory on-campus requirement of one year. Many schools looking for the low-hanging fruit have increased their on-campus requirement to two years. That keeps their beds full at the cost of off-campus housing, especially fraternities. The Fraternities immediately fight back by asking for Fraternity Houses to be considered “on-campus” or “university” housing, even though they aren’t on-campus or university owned Such efforts are sometimes successful, sometimes not
Colluding with Cities and Zoning Boards
This latest trend is perhaps the most ominous – in effect, zoning is tied to recognition by the University, so the University simply finds the opportunity to withdraw recognition. The city pulls its special zoning that allows the Chapter House to operate with live-in Brothers. This renders the property worthless to the Fraternity who owns it. Of course, the University or some other investor is there to step in and get the relative bargain.
The TBHC continues to monitor such trends and advise all Triangle Chapters on how to fight against these trends. Contact the TBHC if you find your university or city attempting to deny your right to assemble and operate as a fraternity
