Doors serve a variety of needs and purposes in schools: (1) Exterior doors provide building security and protection from the elements; and (2) Interior doors control the movement of people among school spaces, help control noise and air flow, and act as flame and smoke barriers during a fire. In a lockdown, they serve as safety barriers. From a…

Uses the College Athletic Facility Analysis to compare costs of renovating an armory with constructing a new athletic facility. (RA)

Designing fire protection into a building is complex; it requires effective coverage, an economical installation, and compliance with many regulations. (Author)

Notes that economic and service factors may dictate that special fire protection measures be given to computer rooms. The discussion covers emergency planning, various types of fire detection and suppression systems, and future options, with particular attention to halon and possible halon replacements. A list of suggested readings is provided.…

Crisis planning includes making preparations for managing school buildings, grounds, occupants, and rescue and recovery personnel during and after a crisis. In "Practical Information on Crisis Planning: A Guide for Schools and Communities, the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools" states: When a crisis…

Fire safety as provided for by building codes is examined critically, and the characteristics of building fires are reviewed. A new design approach is suggested. (Author)

The Civic Center in Scarborough, Ontario, has an open interior design that incorporates an atrium. Fire protection elements include automatic sprinklers, provisions for efficient exiting of building occupants, and smoke evacuation by gravity exhaust. (Available from 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, $15.00 annually.) (Author/MLF)

Examines the storage conditions and the circumstances surrounding the film storage facility fire in Suitland, Maryland, which destroyed over 13 million feet of film. Outlines possible causes for the fire and offers recommendations for prevention of such future disasters. (JMF)

Describes the damage and salvage efforts resulting from the burning of the Los Angeles Central Library in 1986, and makes several recommendations for fire and arson prevention measures and contingency salvage plans. (CLB)

Considerations essential to adequate protection for library facilities have been assembled in the form of recommendations and related to specific examples. Five steps are given which outline the procedures to follow in order to achieve fire safety. With regard to planning, six considerations are dealt with in detail--(1) the saving of lives, (2)…

After a $7 million arson fire destroyed part of a Virginia Beach high school, about 1,200 students were temporarily relocated to a refurbished former mini-mall, and a 16-month recovery project was initiated. The new design improved library and art facilities. School officials have since learned to fight fire with simple precautions, such as…

The hazard of fire is of great concern to libraries due to combustible books and new plastics used in construction and interiors. Building codes and standards can offer architects and planners guidelines to follow but these standards should be closely monitored, updated, and researched for fire prevention. (DS)

Reviews attack on fire safety in high rise buildings made by a group of experts representing the iron and steel industry at a recent conference. According to one expert, fire problems are people oriented, which calls for emphasis on fire prevention rather than reliance on fire suppression and for fire pretection to be built into a structure.…

In response to the fast growing prominence of windowless buildings due to potential or possible aesthetic, psychological, and economic advantages, this article was written to discuss--(1) effects of windowless construction on the life safety of building occupants, (2) the possible extents of fire damage to the building and its contents, and (3)…