Fire Code Violation Surprises Students

By Cathy Onorati
Rotunda ReporterStudents 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.

Howell was prepared for a reaction much like this from the students and said, "It is a shared responsibility to look out for one another in these buildings [and students must] have conversations with suite mates that the only locks that keep [the] suite safe are the locks on the room doors." Students, like Wise, are not fully convinced. Wise said, "Roommate communication would be really helpful if the locks were still on to guarantee that we don't lock each other in the bathroom.I just don't know how much talking to my suitemates will help." However, she did contend that, "I understand why they did it, I just wish there were another way to guarantee our safety without compromising fire safety."

White agrees there is reason for concern over the loss of the locks. He said, "The students at Longwood were somewhat upset, and I surely understand. I myself fought to keep this security device over the potential fire code issue; however I must abide by this to protect the students and the university. I will continue to research this issue to see if a security means is available that meets the fire requirements."

Howell said he did what he could to avoid "having to take something away that the students have grown accustomed to," but he said he had no choice and in this situation, "You fix one issue and you raise another." White expressed the sentiments of the Fire Marshal in this way, "The Longwood students are very professional and highly respected by the Fire Marshal. He is very careful in making sure our facilities and the students are protected. He, like I, cannot turn our back on any code violation." White showed his concern over students' need for personal safety, as well as fire safety. He said he will continue "to research this and push [his] variance to the next level." While this research is being conducted, RCL is requesting that students do not install any personal locks on these doors or send in any work orders asking for a lock to be installed.