Problems with fire alarms and non-existent sprinkler systems throughout on-campus residence halls are magnified in the wake of the Ivy Chase fire.

Four dormitories, according to Mark Carpenter, electronics controls and elevators supervisor, are experiencing problems with fire alarm systems.

Carpenter said five fire alarm systems have had trouble since the semester started: Syme, Alexander, Turlington, and Wood (Buildings A and B).

“[The fire alarms] did not meet our criteria — we are getting them replaced,” he said.

University Fire Marshall Bill Stevenson said the original fire alarms “could not do what we wanted [them] to do on campus.”

“We have a very complex type set up here on campus,” he said. “We do a lot of stuff on our own that requires certain reporting features of the alarms.”

According to Stevenson, the initial fire alarms would work for an average business but not in a campus setting with dormitories and labs.

“It works in the general application,” he said. “But not in our setting.”

Stevenson said he is “extremely critical” of the fire alarm systems.

“If it passes us, we can sleep very well at night, knowing that [students] are protected,” he said.

Carpenter said there haven’t been any additional problems with the fire alarms other than typical false alarms.

“We have nuisance alarms when people are pulling them when they’re not supposed to and people burning popcorn,” he said.

All residence halls have fire alarm systems, according to the Fire and Life Safety Web site. However, not all residence halls have sprinkler systems.

Stevenson indicated that only 95 percent of the residence halls have sprinkler systems.

“We’ve got some being worked on over at Wood Residence Hall,” he said. “E.S. King doesn’t have sprinkler systems.”

According to Stevenson, E.S. King Village does not have sprinkler systems because of the age of the building.

“[It was] built way back when [sprinklers] were not required,” he said.

Stevenson said he isn’t sure when sprinklers will be installed at E.S. King Village, which is the University’s designated family housing location.

“I have no idea at the moment when E.S. King will be addressed,” he said.

Susan Grant, director of University Housing, said sprinkler systems are installed “systematically” using a list based on importance. She said E.S. King Village hasn’t “come up yet on the list.”

“Two story buildings are not [as important as] high rise structures,” she said.

According to Grant, the next round of sprinkler installations will be at Western Manor because “there’s more wood in those structures.”

“We will move that way and then to King Village,” she said.

Grant said she does not recall any complications at E.S. King Village in direct relation to the absence of a sprinkler system.

“We have not had anything of concern at King Village since I’ve been here and that’s over 20 years,” she said.