Lambda Chi Alpha ~ Fire Safety Article
 

Looks like some Important Lambda Chi Alpha members were in the news....

Lenoxxx


http://www.cumberlink.com/articles/2...ews/news02.txt

Firemen, fraternity talk safety

By Dale Heberlig, October 08, 2005


Volunteer firefighters and a university fraternity are bringing a fire prevention and safety message to Shippensburg University’s Memorial Auditorium in a 9:30 p.m. program Oct. 17.

Mark Cleck, assistant chief of West End Fire and Rescue Co., is the featured speaker. He says his program focuses on the history of fires in student residences, the cause of fires, how to prevent fire and what to do in the event of a blaze.

Jason Lenox, SU Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity alumni volunteer, says the public is welcome to the event, which is part of the SU fraternity chapter’s public service program.

Cleck says when fraternity officials contacted the West End station, “we jumped at the opportunity.” Cleck says Shippensburg’s three volunteer companies collaborate in a fire safety task force that supports public education.

“The task force has been looking for ways to get our word out to the college community,” Cleck says. “This is more than a display at the CUB, it’s a chance to sit down and talk to a group of students. That opportunity doesn’t come around often.”




According to Cleck, dormitories, fraternity and sorority houses and off-campus student rental properties are a major concern for fire personnel.

“The university’s staff does a good job with the dormitories at Shippensburg University. Most of our concern is with the off-campus housing.”

Cleck says a fire at a Britton Road student residence in the summer of 1997 will be part of his opening in the Oct. 17 program.

“Luckily, it was summer and there were only two people at the house,” Cleck says. “We’ll be talking about other student-housing fires, some of which were fatal, sort of showing ‘here’s what could happen.’”

Cleck, 24, is a paid firefighter in Hagerstown, Md., as well as a volunteer at WEFR where he has won company awards nearly every year since joining in 1995.

Fraternity on board

Richard Check III, president of the SU chapter of Lambda Chi Alpha, says his fraternity is a leader in risk-management education, establishing risk management officers in every chapter worldwide in 1991.

“If there is enough interest, we would like to make this an annual fall tradition at Shippensburg,” Check says.

Lambda Chi Alpha has been active at SU since 1982 and has more than 420 members. The fraternity operates a house on Brookside Avenue.
Firemen, fraternity talk safety

lenoxx I am sure all of us want to hear good things that LXA Zetas are doing for our respective Zetas and This is a sure +.

The new house at LX Z while no sprinkler system was designed with many other features.

1. Egressed windows with built in steps to come out of the basement windows-8 to be exact. New concept.

2. Also a stair well from basement to the ground level.

3. A Deck on the 2 nd floor that has a fie escape to ground level.

4. All duct work will have sensors to shut down duct work and Heat Walls for spreading of fire.

5. Sheet rock will be fire retardent from fire at main points in the House along with the duct work.

6. Will be an all electric house except for water heaters.

7. All windows will be double pained for expenses and be easyable slide and pop out screens.


As was explained to us at House Corp Meeting, these were all put in place for safety and checked fully. A lot has gone into the thought of design and planning on this house.

My self, I would still like to have had a sprinkler system, but feel comfortable enough with what is beeing done.

The problems seem to arise from Members living within the Chapter House that do not follow the rules and need to be regulated by say The House Corp. or the Alums and Greek Advisors.

I am sure You and Ottor will moniter the situatin at The Shipp.

Nice Press Release Lenox.

Good coverage!

A++++ FOR SURE!

There really should be more of this as All of The Youngsters feel Invencible until something happens.:(

A Lose of A Brother is Terrible!

Just doin' some cipherin' here (as Jethro Bodine would say)...how much would it cost for a new house to be built w/a sprinkler system (or put another way, what's the additional $$$)? I know that an older (circa 1920's) chapter house is looking at an investment of $250,000+.

As I understand it, this is due to the way buildings used to be constructed (plaster vs. drywall, tile vs. wooden floors, etc.). You also have to take asbestos remediation into account w/older houses.

ZAX,
BF

Yeah... upgrading a home say pre-50's is going to cost you alot more than a post-50's home - because as you said the difference in building materials/techniques.

The UofT house was built back around 1880 so upgrading the house to a sprinkler system is a little unfeasible - finacially and physically. So instead a couple of years ago a house-wide fire detection system was installed, as the best that could be done...

As it stands if the chapter had $250000 to blow on the property I'd argue it be spent overhauling the roof - slate roofing is damn expensive.

Tom, I'd say your chapter should rethink no getting a sprinkler system installed. UF chapter houses now have to have a fire inspection. Not having a sprinkler system automatically moves you from a Level 1 house (good) to a Level 2 house (ok).
Level 3 means that a house cannot have events in house, and a Level 4 house is required to have a fire marshall live in house untill it no longer is a Level 4.
Some houses are having to invest $30,000 or more to install a system.

Also make sure your new house in wired for ethernet, and preferable has wireless internet too.

Matt, I have brought this up many times to be sure.

But with Code in Pittsburg, Ks. and all of the other safety features in place everyone feels comfortable with it.

The egress windows that I mentioned 8 have dug out areas with inplace built in steps to the ground level and a stair well as well in the basement. 9 exits from the basement.

1 st floor has front and rear door and 2nd floor has fire escape to ground level. Very easily accesable from all upstairs rooms.

I too would still liked to have a sprinkler system in place but, I am not paying for it. But, the many safety features that are there hopefull will cover any aspects. Again, Hopefully, with anew house.

All rooms will be wired for cable and phone jacks. No micro waves or mini fridges will be allowed.

Only open flames will be for water heaters as a cost factor from all electric. One of the changes from the original plans was a two man room on the first floor along with Pres. one man room on first.

It will now house 15 Members but easy access to fire exits.

While old Houses can look beautiful, they are costly to refirb for Water system as Coop said and money has to go to other places.

We can only hope that there are no problems in the future.

Hell, our old house was a death trap and that is why it is gone!

Would You beleive that there were Alums who have not been around in at least 30 years wanting to know why we didnt jsut refirb the old one! DAH!:rolleyes:

Matt, I have brought this up many times to be sure.

But with Code in Pittsburg, Ks. and all of the other safety features in place everyone feels comfortable with it.

The egress windows that I mentioned 8 have dug out areas with inplace built in steps to the ground level and a stair well as well in the basement. 9 exits from the basement.

1 st floor has front and rear door and 2nd floor has fire escape to ground level. Very easily accesable from all upstairs rooms.

I too would still liked to have a sprinkler system in p