Scenario: The director of the Mayflower College Library is called
at home in the middle of the night by campus security. She is informed
that there has been a fire in the library, which is equipped with a smoke
detection system but does not have a fire suppression system. The fire
was started by an incendiary device placed into the book drop, which opens
into the circulation area. The closest smoke detectors, which were on
the opposite side of the circulation desk, malfunctioned, delaying the
alarm. The detection system, which is tested semi-annually, had last been
tested three months previously. Fortunately, smoke and flame were seen
from outside the building by a student, who called campus security. There
was significant fire damage to the materials in the circulation area and
smoke damage throughout the first floor, but the fire did not spread to
the rest of the library.
Question: What could have been done to prevent or mitigate this
damage?
Sample Answer:
A number of options exist to protect book drops from arson attempts:
a smoke detector (and sprinkler head, if possible) directly over the
opening of the book drop; constructing a fire-resistant compartment
to separate the book drop from the rest of the library; installation
of an exterior book drop instead of one that opens into the library
building; or devising a method of closing the book drop off when the
building is closed. In addition, monthly testing of the fire detection
system would have identified the problem with the smoke detectors, thus
sounding the alarm sooner and lessening the damage.
