Bridget Takacs ’07 sat down to her computer on the evening of Feb. 2 to write a paper. Suddenly, a piercing noise filled the air. Realizing the noise was a fire alarm, she quickly left the building, waiting to be allowed back.
“I was confused and unsure of what was going on,” Takacs said.
These sentiments were shared by several other freshmen who evacuated from Jogues when the alarm sounded.
“Rumors went around but no one said what happened so most people thought it was a joke,” said Jerry Pittman ’07.
According to Associate Director of Security Frank Ficko, security officers pulled the alarms to clear the building as a precautionary measure after smoke was detected in the building.
The source of the smoke was not identified but Resident Assistant Paul Duffy, who was in the building at the time of the incident, said the Fairfield Fire Department was called and conducted a room by room search to ensure the building was safe before letting residents back in.
The incident was not the first to cause concern in Jogues. Ficko also verified that University Fire Marshall Joe Bushard “discovered a burnt piece of paper on a glass window located in the Jogues Lobby” on the morning of Feb. 2. The paper was apparently lit by a cigarette found behind it and had already extinguished itself.
These incidents, coupled with what Clark Callahan, the Residence Hall Coordinator of Jogues, described as “isolated incidences of tampering with fire alarms” have resulted in an investigation and the removal of all posters from Jogues. While the matter is under investigation, Campus Security and Jogues RAs have been asked to be more “diligent on their rounds,” according to Callahan, and perform additional checks of the building.
“We’re keeping a closer eye on fire boxes to make sure we don’t have any repeat incidents,” said RA Jaclyn Duffy. In addition to watching fire alarms, RAs have also been advised to make sure that no flyers or posters are put up throughout the building.
Residences were notified of the presence of a possible arsonist by a letter slipped under doors on Feb. 3. Students were advised to alert Campus Security if they observed any suspicious behavior and to respond immediately to all fire alarms. Residences seem to be taking this advice to heart.
“I feel safe in the building, but when the alarm goes off and you don’t know why, it’s very nerve wracking,” Pittman said, adding that he doesn’t hesitate to leave the building when the alarm sounds.
Campus Security will not comment on whether they believe a Jogues resident is responsible for these incidents, but Ficko did stress that “anyone found to be directly or indirectly responsible for a fire, or tampering with fire alarm equipment, will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law” as well as face university sanctions.
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