Whether 11 pm or 7 am, Pace students and staff can count on one bit of consistency in their routines- faulty fire alarms, throughout the fall semester, and into the beginning of the spring semester, multiple buildings on campus, particularly the residence halls, experienced fire alarm and sensor malfunctions.
In Alumni Hall, there have been numerous instances where, although alarms were going off for minutes on end, residents were told that there was no need to evacuate. Over time, residents became confused whether or not the alarms were tests, or if there was an actual emergency that required action. Another confusing feature is the different alarms that can sound. Some are the classic intermittent beeping, others are accompanied by a voice telling all to evacuate. If residents are not able to understand the severity and different causes of these alarms, how are they expected to properly act if a true emergency ever takes place?
A classic boy who cried wolf scenario is starting to form. With the numerous ‘false alarms’, residents are beginning to overlook the importance of any alarm in any building. As first-year student Kiley Cosgrove stated, “It would be nice if [security] were clearer in when we had to leave and when we didn’t because I know multiple people including myself that will sometimes not leave because we are so used to it not being anything.”
These alarms were not always building-wide. In some instances, only certain floors or certain room alarms would go off due to malfunctions. They have also been disruptive in residents’ lives. “When those alarms go off late at night, it throws off my routine and causes me to lose quite a few hours of sleep” commented resident Chloe Stanberry-Rosseter.
On Wednesday, February 5th, various alarms went off, starting in the morning and continuing into the afternoon. These alarms, determined to be tests after the fact, occurred in some of the main buildings on campus; including Kessel Student Center, Goldstein Academic Building, Willcox Hall, and Mortola Library. Miller Hall experienced an alarm the week prior. However, students and faculty alike were confused regarding these seemingly unplanned occurrences.
Members of Pace’s security and housing departments were contacted for clarification on what went wrong. Aisha Moyla, the Assistant Vice President for Facilities and Capital Projects at Pace commented on fire alarms going off at odd times. She said they are caused by “ various conditions that can activate a device, such as a smoke detector. There could also be equipment malfunction that sets off an alarm. There have been three alarms due to burnt food and one due to equipment malfunction in Elm and Alumni Hall since the start of the semester.”
There were rumors Pace’s Ongoing Academic Social Instructional Support (OASIS) program in New York City was not notified regarding pre-planned drills. They provide support for students with disabilities yet some of them were rumored to have difficulty processing the noise. Ms. Moyla provided clarification by saying they “were announced ahead of time. The student government associations now receive the weekly announcement each week.”
When asked if students should be notified ahead of time for drills, Ms. Moyla said “It’s better to establish standard practices and notify campus partners prior to the evacuation drill. On the NYC Campus, the Fire Life Safety Director (FLSD) in each building makes a public address announcement stating that the occurrence on that day is a Drill and not an emergency. The announcement made by the FLSD distinguishes if it is a drill or a real emergency. On the Pleasantville Campus, the Safety and Security Office communicates and coordinates the dates with Residence Life. If a fire alarm activates in Pleasantville, all occupants must evacuate; in New York City high-rise buildings, occupants should follow the directions of the FLSD.”
She continued, “We depend on the Pace community to provide feedback and let us know if they heard the public address announcement or alarm inside of their dorm room, classroom, students center, locker room, etc during the practice drills. All residence halls are required to have at least four fire drills annually.”
Ms. Moyla also shared that “the Campus Planning and Facilities team [will be] conducting Quarterly Fire Alarm testing which was communicated in [a] Campus Planning and Facilities weekly announcement.”