Milford chronicle., 1958-12-05
Schools Supt. Asks
For Fire Inspection

Continued from page one)
mainly to schools in Kent and Sus-
sex Counties, since the city and
county laws are tighter. 1t stipu-
lates that all stairwells must be
enclosed in fireproof walls, and all
schools with more than six rooms
must have electric fire alarm sys-
TENS.
The city and county codes re-
quire at least two enclosed STAIR
case in any school of more than.
one story. An enclosed staircase
must be within 100 feet of every
classroom in a ''fireproof" building,
and almost rs feet lin some cases
SOD in a "non-freproof' building.
Despite the contention of some
witnesses to the Chicago fire that
outside fire escapes would have
saved the day, they are considered
old hat under the building codes
and few schools have them.
Fire escapes are required only
If there are insufficient inside
stairways," says Wilmington's
building Inspector Michael ]. FL
dance. His office is charged with
enforcing the building code speci-
fications for schools and other
buildings.
Stairways would be considered
insufficient" if they were too few
in number or too far from some
classrooms.
Fire escapes are seldom, if ever,
put on new school buildings. New
schools are designed to meet the
building codes and specifications
set by the State Department of
Public Instruction and the Del
aware State School Auxiliary.
Many of them are rambling, one
story structures.
The State Department of Public
Instruction says hardly any two
story school buildings are still in
use in Kent and Sussex Counties,
but many multiple-story school
buildings still house classes in Will
mington and New Castle County
Escape access in these buildings
is a matter of enclosing interior
stairWays or-as last resort-pro-
yiding outside fire escapes.
Multiple-story buildings are used
for nursing homes, apartments and
rooming houses throughout the
state. Enforcement of such specifi-
cations as exist for these buildings
is on a near-voluntary basis in
many areas, according to State
Fire Marshal w. Robert Favinger
of Seaford, whose office draws the
assignment of inspecting these mu1-
tiple-use buildings.
The rules and specifications for
them are promulgated by other ag-
encies-the State Board of Health,
the State Department of Public
Welfare, and local authorities
In most cases | am invited in"
says Favinger, "but l have no real
power of enforcement I have
found them generally cooperative. ;"
Favinger believes fire protection
is in fairly good shape" as far as
schools are concerned-b he has
serious doubts about some of the
other multiple-use buildings.
81 see things every day as
drive up and down the highway"
he says, "but there's nothing | can
do about them"
Favinger sees the present state
fire laws as archaic. The one on
fire escapes requires sufficient fire
escapes from the third and all
higher stories, which escapes shall
be kept and maintained in good or
der" but it doesn't amply to build
ings already supplied with two or
more independent stairways lead
ing from the highest story to the
ground floor, if the stairways shall
not be nearer to each other than a
distance of so feet"
In other words, if building has
two stairways located far enough
apart (Our Lady of Angels had six1
no other means of escape is re-
quired by the statute.
The way to improve Delawares
fire protection laws, says Fayinger.
is for the General Assembly to
nass law empowering the State
Fire Prevention Commission to
make rules that have the effect of
law.
This was proposed in the Cen
eral Assembly last year. The bill
got through the Senate, but not the
House. Favinger says he will try
again in 1859.
DR.. Miller was trying to contact
Favinger to request a special in
sDection of all public schools out
side Wilmington to see if fire safe
guards are adequate.
This would be a more thorough
going inspection than the ones the
State Department of Public Educa-
tion says are made each year. Rou-
tine inspections are made by the
city fire marshaps office once a
week.