Bug spray, hairspray, air freshener, cooking, smoke and bugs; these things are related because they all have the ability to set off smoke detectors in the residence halls.Setting off a smoke detector results in a visit from the floor Resident Hall Assistant to make sure everyone is alright and to determine whether an evacuation is necessary.
“Several years ago we [the Residence Life] were having a large problem with students tampering with the detectors. It would be the same students doing it repeatedly. We looked at what other Universities were doing and adjusted our fine [$500] to be more in line with other schools and to meet the State Fire Marshal expectations,” assistant director of residence life Hayley Jobe, said.
The fine increase has worked according to Jobe.
“The fine has dramatically decreased our instances of tampering. Now very few students are ever given this fine for tampering,” she said.
If there is a fine it is placed on the student’s account and the money goes to the campus’ general housing account.
“Other than fires, the majority of detectors go off due to smoke from cooking in an apartment,” she said.
Occasionally a detector will go off if a pest crawls into a detector and air fresheners, bug spray and hairspray, if sprayed right under a detector, could set it off according to Jobe.
“The detectors work the same in all the buildings, but there are some buildings that are going to be more sensitive than others, so the hairspray incident would be more likely to happen in Whitley than in Berry or Smith,” she said.
There are consequences for those who mess with the detectors.
“Every student who has tampered with a detector is seen by the University professional designated by the Dean of Students to handle judicial matters. This year that person is Robert Dotson. He would conduct a hearing and determine the outcome,” Jobe said.
The detectors in the residence halls are very sensitive. The reason for the sensitivity is safety laws.
“The smoke detectors have to meet requirements and guidelines. The school chose to meet those requirements and guidelines for our students to be as safe as possible,” Jobe said.With this in mind it is safe to assume detectors are going to be safer from students playing with them.