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Facilities Operations

Vassar College

Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan

In accordance with the requirements of the Fire Code of New York State Section 404 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38, Vassar College must publish and post its Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan. The Director of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for the development, publication and revision process for the document.

Fire Safety Maps are posted in all buildings and are available for view in the Facilities Operations administrative offices during normal business hours.

NYS FC 404.3.1: Fire Evacuation Plan

Revised 6-1-15

1.1) All local and common space fire alarms require a complete evacuation of the building.

1.2) All occupants of the space including employees and students must completely evacuate and muster in the approved space noted on each building’s floor plans. The Arlington Fire District are provided the names and locations of any individual who self-reports to the Vassar College Office of Accessibility and Educational Opportunity who might require evacuation assistance. These individuals are trained to either stay in their room or proceed to an area of refuge (stair tower) and if possible, call for assistance to CRC or 9-1-1.

1.3) The College will report to the Arlington Fire District Incident Commander any missing persons. The Arlington Fire District emergency responders will begin rescue operations to locate any missing persons.

1.4) No Vassar College employee is designated as responsible for rescue operations. All rescue operations will be conducted by trained emergency responders from the Arlington Fire District. Members of the Vassar College Health Services office and/or the volunteer student EMT’s may provide emergency medical aid as directed by the on-site incident commander.

1.5) The primary method for notification of a fire or emergency is the activation of the building alarm system consisting of horns and strobes. Several buildings are equipped with voice evacuation systems that are capable of other building notification.

1.6) An occupant who has knowledge of a fire-related emergency, including an activated smoke detector, shall immediately evacuate the building, activating a manual pull station on the way out. Once safely evacuated from the building, a backup call should be placed to Vassar College Campus Response Center at (845) 437-7333 or Dutchess County 911. Once out, stay out.

1.7) Any individual who needs more information on the contents of this plan should contact the following individual:

Michael Lonon
Director of Environmental Health and Safety
(845) 437-5685
rlonon@vassar.edu

1.8) Kenyon Hall, Vogelstein Center for Drama and Film, Students’ Building (AC/DC) and Davison House and have an emergency communication system. No other buildings on campus have an emergency communication system.

NYSFC 404.3.2:  Fire Safety Plan

Revised 6/01/15

In accordance with the requirements of the Fire Code of New York State Section 404 and OSHA 29 CFR 1910.38,  Vassar College must publish and post its Fire Safety and Evacuation Plan. The Director of Environmental Health and Safety is responsible for the development, publication and revision process for the document. The document is available for review in the B & G administrative offices during normal business hours.

2.1) An occupant who has knowledge of a fire-related emergency, including an activated smoke detector shall immediately evacuate the building, activating a manual pull station on the way out. Once safely evacuated from the building, a backup call should be placed to Vassar College Campus Response Center at (845) 437-7333 or Dutchess County 911. Once out, stay out.

2.2) The life safety strategy and procedures for notifying, relocating and evacuating occupants is as follows:

  • Notification
    Any activation of a building alarm system component (smoke detector, heat detector, pull station etc) requires an immediate and total evacuation of the building. This applies to both local alarms (some student rooms) and common area alarms which will cause horns and strobes to be activated throughout the building.
  • Evacuation
    Occupants must evacuate at least 50 feet from the affected structure. Occupants are directed to a nearby building if the evacuation is anticipated to be greater than 15 minutes, or weather conditions require immediate relocation of the occupants.
  • Relocation
    If a hazardous condition is present in the building, or there is damage rendering the space unusable, the occupants will be relocated to available space within the facility.

2.3) Figures 1-4 identify the required information for this section. Specifically,  

  • Assembly and Muster locations are located on each buildings floor plan
  • Figure 1    Normal routes of fire department vehicle access
  • Figure 2    Highlighted AutoCAD drawing of fire hydrant locations

2.4) Appendix A identifies floor plans for each building. Exits, primary and secondary evacuation routes, muster points, pull stations and portable fire extinguishers are presented on the building floor plans.

2.5) The major fire hazards associated with the normal use and occupancy of the premises are specific to each area of the facility.
 
The following buildings contain special hazards such as chemicals, equipment or fuels that will require the attention and knowledge of the local emergency responder. Arlington Fire District crews regularly tour Vassar’s buildings.

Buildings and Grounds Service Center/Chiller Plant
Contains the trade shops (electrical, plumbing, HVAC, steamfitters, painting, masonry and mechanical garage. Each shop contains trade products used for that specific shops work. The MSDS information on all chemicals is present in the building in the Main Lobby on top of the lateral file cabinets.

The Chiller Plant houses two AC units (1-2000 Ton and 1-1000 Ton) that produce chilled water for the campus.  Both units are centifugal chillers and each contains a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant.

Skinner Greenhouse
Contains a variety of chemicals used in horticultural activities such as pesticides, herbicides and horticultural oils. 

Olmsted Hall
Houses the biology department and teaching and research labs. The building contains chemical storerooms and miscellaneous storage of virgin chemicals in many labs. The building also contains satellite (<55 gallons) and building accumulation areas for the accumulation of hazardous wastes. In addition, one research labs uses radioactive isotopes in experimental studies. The locations of labs containing these hazards is highlighted on the maps secured in each building’s hazmat cabinet along with the most recent chemical inventory of the building.

Mudd Hall
Houses the chemistry department and teaching and research labs The building contains chemical storerooms and miscellaneous storage of virgin chemicals in most labs. The building also contains satellite (<55 gallons) and building accumulation areas for the accumulation of hazardous wastes. The locations of labs containing these hazards is highlighted on the maps secured in each building’s hazmat cabinet along with the most recent chemical inventory of the building.

In addition, the building houses specialized scientific equipment, such as NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) Spectrometers, Gas Chromatographs, X-Ray spectrometers and diffractometers which all require specialized knowledge of the equipment and unique hazards the equipment may present. The NMR contains a large magnet which presents a hazard to individuals with pacemakers within the 5 gauss line. No large ferromagnetic materials should be placed near the NMR, which is located near the southwest corner of the building.

Central Heating Plant
Houses the steam boilers and produces low-pressure steam for heating the facility.  Boiler feedwater treatment chemicals, fuel oil, natural gas and steam delivery system equipment are the hazards present inside the building. The building also contains satellite (<55 gallons) and building accumulation areas for the accumulation of hazardous wastes. In addition the facility stores approximately 300,000 gallons of #6 Fuel oil in steel tanks in a lined containment area on the eastern side of Casper’s Kill located adjacent to the CHP.

2500 New Hackensack
Houses the art department and provides various studios utilizing miscellaneous chemicals such as paints, paint thinners and solvents. The building also contains satellite (<55 gallons) and building accumulation areas for the accumulation of hazardous wastes. The locations of labs containing these hazards is highlighted on the maps secured in each building’s hazmat cabinet along with the most recent chemical inventory of the building.

Doubleday
Houses the art department and provides various studios utilizing miscellaneous chemicals such as paints, paint thinners and solvents and a wood shop with combustible supplies. The building also contains satellite (<55 gallons) and building accumulation areas for the accumulation of hazardous wastes. The locations of labs containing these hazards is highlighted on the maps secured in each building’s hazmat cabinet along with the most recent chemical inventory of the building.

Ely Hall
Houses the art department and geology departments. The art department studios contain miscellaneous chemicals such as paints, paint thinners and solvents. The geology department houses research laboratories containing minimal chemical inventory. The building also contains satellite (<55 gallons) and building accumulation areas for the accumulation of hazardous wastes. The locations of labs containing these hazards is highlighted on the maps secured in each building’s hazmat cabinet along with the most recent chemical inventory of the building.

Walker
Houses the athletics department and the pool mechanical equipment such as filters, pumps and piping. In addition the pool chemicals such as sodium hypochlorite solutions, sodium carbonate and bicarbonate dry chemicals and hydrochloric acid are stored in the pool equipment room.

Skinner Barns
Houses large quantities of chairs, tables and other furniture.

Collins Field Station
Houses the biology field research labs. The building contains miscellaneous storage of virgin chemicals in the labs.

Buildings and Grounds Maintenance Building: Prentiss Fields
Houses field maintenance equipment and pesticides/herbicides used for field maintenance.

2.6) The following personnel are assigned to maintain life safety systems and equipment.

Eric Lutz
Manager Mechanical Services
(845) 437-5712
elutz@vassar.edu

Scott Mallett
Supervisor, Plumbing and Heating
(845) 437-5699
scmallet@vassar.edu

Kevin Miller
Supervisor, Electrical
(845) 437-5698
kemiller@vassar.edu

2.6) The following personnel are assigned for maintenance, housekeeping and controlling fuel hazard sources.

Eric Lutz
Manager Mechanical Services
(845) 437-5712
elutz@vassar.edu

Scott Mallet
Manager of Plumbing and Heating
scmallet@vassar.edu
(845) 437-5699