D.H. Hill Library is safe for use.

The second, third and fourth floors of D.H. Hill Library did not have properly functioning alarms during the summer, as library administration found out after a gas leak on Hillsborough Street caused the library to be evacuated.   Crews fixed the problem by replacing a controller card, according to Susan Nutter, director of libraries.

After a WKNC engineer reported the fire alarm on the 10th floor was not functioning, the University fire department tested the fire alarm on all floors Monday in D.H. Hill library, according to Bill Stevenson, the University fire marshal.

“This morning we did a complete drill in D.H. Hill.   We had people on each floor,” Stevenson said.   “After the test, we found every alarm in every public portion of the building was functioning properly.”

According to Nutter, the library administration is concerned with safety while in D.H. Hill Library.  

“The safety of every student, every faculty and every staff member in this building is paramount,” Nutter said.

After the problem with the fire alarms during the summer, the replacement of a controller card fixed the problems, according to Nutter.

“The controller card was a simple fix,” Nutter said.   “My concern in an older building is whether a simple fix is what is needed or whether a complete overhaul is due.”

However, a complete overhaul is costly, and according to Nutter and Stevenson, the University does not have money for a complete overhaul.   The current system is a combination of four alarm systems working together.

“[A complete overhaul] is very expensive, and the University has almost no funds for that, but I do know we put safety first,” Nutter said.  

According to Stevenson, building code does not require D.H. Hill Library to have strobe lights in all parts of the building.  

“We’re going to be talking with library officials to address this issue, even though it’s not technically required by code,” Stevenson said.

Not all parts of the library have voice alarms, according to Stevenson.  

“Some parts of D.H. Hill library do not have voice alarms,” Stevenson said.   “The areas without voice alarms do have strobe and non-voice alarms.”

According to Nutter, the N.C. State fire marshal inspected the fire alarms Monday morning.

“The N.C. State fire marshal did an impromptu inspection of the fire alarms throughout D.H. Hill library, with an emphasis on the tenth floor,” Nutter said.

Seven University employees took part in testing the alarm system in D.H. Hill Library Monday morning.    

“Three employees with the University fire department, including myself, and four electronics employees took part in the inspection,” Stevenson said.   

^