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Interestingly, NC's requirement for student housing is actually done internally by the UNC System rather than by any code authority. The last unsprinklered dorm

Interestingly, NC's requirement for student housing is actually done internally by the UNC System rather than by any code authority. The last unsprinklered dorms at UNC were torn down a few years ago. As far as I know, building codes do require sprinklers in new residences just judging based on the 2010s era complexes around campus. I had assumed this was standard everywhere now, but maybe not. The place I live in now is from the 60s iirc and so of course does not have any. Interestingly, the entire buildings fire panel and smoke heads seem to have been retrofitted rather recently, but the old continuous bells are still in use with no strobes. Surprisingly, many residents do not seem to understand the significance of not having sprinkler protection and do not evacuate with any urgency, if at all.

mindcrime 5y ago
Interestingly, NC's requirement for student housing is actually done internally by the UNC System rather than by any code authority. The last unsprinklered dorms at UNC were torn down a few years ago. Interestingly enough, I believe at least some of that was in direct response to the UNC Phi Gamma Delta fire back in 1996. https://www.wunc.org/news/2021-05-12/unc-chapel-hill-phi-gamma-delta-fraternity-fire https://www.wunc.org/news/2021-05-12/unc-chapel-hill-phi-gam... and do not evacuate with any urgency, if at all. Yeah, there's an unfortunate "thing" about automatic fire alarms - the "boy who cried wolf" effect. Many automatic alarms go off a LOT and more often than not the reason is either a straight up fault in the system, or at best, a "real, but non fire" reason like smoke from cooking. I listen in on Chapel Hill FD dispatch a lot and I can tell you, CHFD goes to the various dorms around campus all the freaking time for alarm activations, and rarely is the cause any kind of actual active fire. So people get conditioned to treat those alarms as "nothing-burger". It's unfortunate.

mindcrime 5y ago

Interestingly, NC's requirement for student housing is actually done internally by the UNC System rather than by any code authority. The last unsprinklered dorms at UNC were torn down a few years ago. Interestingly enough, I believe at least some of that was in direct response to the UNC Phi Gamma Delta fire back in 1996. https://www.wunc.org/news/2021-05-12/unc-chapel-hill-phi-gamma-delta-fraternity-fire https://www.wunc.org/news/2021-05-12/unc-chapel-hill-phi-gam... and do not evacuate with any urgency, if at all. Yeah, there's an unfortunate "thing" about automatic fire alarms - the "boy who cried wolf" effect. Many automatic alarms go off a LOT and more often than not the reason is either a straight up fault in the system, or at best, a "real, but non fire" reason like smoke from cooking. I listen in on Chapel Hill FD dispatch a lot and I can tell you, CHFD goes to the various dorms around campus all the freaking time for alarm activations, and rarely is the cause any kind of actual active fire. So people get conditioned to treat those alarms as "nothing-burger". It's unfortunate.