<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Mike Lehman</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:rebelmike@earthlink.net">rebelmike@earthlink.net</a>></span><br>
Date: Fri, Mar 4, 2011 at 12:43 PM<br>Subject: Reminder About Halls, Fire Doors, Extension Cords<br>To: <a href="mailto:imc@lists.chambana.net">imc@lists.chambana.net</a>, leon mcgee <<a href="mailto:leonmcgeeamericorps@gmail.com">leonmcgeeamericorps@gmail.com</a>><br>
<br><br>
<div bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000">
Spokes, Tenants, et al,<br>
This information needs to be transmitted to your group list ASAP,
please.<br>
<br>
Leon, please send this to the Tenants list so they have the message,
too.<br>
<br>
Despite making a lot of progress in the last few months, we still
have some issues that affect everyone's safety in the building. So I
must issue this reminder. I also must insist that compliance with
this direction is MANDATORY.<br>
<br>
First, halls are for people to use, not for storage of miscellaneous
stuff. This is particularly a problem in the basement, but other
floors also have problems from time to time. At a minimum, all areas
of the building, especially including halls and common areas, <u>must
have at least 4 feet of clearance</u> so that emergency evacuation
of the building is not impeded.<br>
<br>
But it's not enough just to plow your stuff to the side and leave 4
feet in the middle. If it's cluttering or there is stuff just
sitting on the floor, it should NOT be in the hall, because it could
present a hazard, even if there is the 4 feet of clearance.
Furniture, properly placed and leaving the required access path of 4
feet is OK, provided it does not present an obstruction that could
endanger emergency evacuation.<br>
<br>
This includes recycling. It's good to be green. But recycling bins
belong in your spaces or their contents should be taken outside and
placed in the recycling bins. Do not leave this stuff in the hall.
Having had my house set on fire because some lowlife set my
recycling bin on my front porch on fire, perhaps due to my work at
the IMC, makes me especially sensitive to this issue at the IMC.
Please observe this requirement on recycling at all times. Recycling
belongs in your spaces or outside in the bins, not in the halls.<br>
<br>
Second, any door that leads into or out of a stairwell is considered
a fire door. <u>Do NOT prop these doors open</u>. <br>
<br>
The <b><i>ONLY</i></b> exception to this is a temporary prop when
moving lots of materials through and, if you do that, the prop must
be removed IMMEDIATELY after such movement is done. <u>In no case
should a fire door be propped open when there are not people
present</u> moving such materials through. Such a prop is never a
substitute for a key. If you believe that the lock mechanism needs
changed to facilitate passage through a fire door for convenience
purposes, please advise Finance so that we can evaluate the issue.
Do NOT prop a door open as a faulty substitute for consulting with
Finance about the lock.<br>
<br>
Please note that the issues here are mostly unrelated to the recent
discussions about security. This is about fire safety. It does NOT
matter whether the fire door is locked or not as far as fire safety,
<u>it MUST be closed</u> properly to function as a fire door. All
the doors in the building are properly set up to function as fire
doors, so they always open out to allow emergency escape. Whether
they are locked or not to allow people in is irrelevant to their
function as a fire door.<br>
<br>
If you have any questions about this, please let me know and I'll be
glad to evaluate specific situations or explain further. <u>Emergency
access is Priority One when it comes to halls and common areas</u>.<br>
<br>
The last thing is a little more of a gray area than the previous
points. Please <u>avoid the regular use of extension cords</u>. You
should plug appliances and lights directly into either an outlet or
a power strip. If not, then extension cords should be unplugged
when items are not in use. It may be the case that we may have to
consider properly adding an outlet. Bring such concerns to Leon's or
Finance's attention. Depending on the actual need and our budget for
such changes, we may or may not be able to accommodate such request.<br>
<br>
Leon has been and will be checking the building regularly for these
issues, because some people seem to have not to have paid attention
to the recent message on these <u>absolutely mandatory requirements</u>.
Please cooperate with him. And be aware that future violations may
result in the immediate disposal of stuff cluttering the building.
Sorry to be so blunt, but being Mr. Polite about this hasn't brought
the necessary cooperation on the part of a few, which endangers us
all. It simply won't be tolerated any longer.<br>
Thanks,<br>
Mike Lehman<br>
</div>
</div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Building Coordinator<br>Leon McGee<br>202 S Broadway<br>Urbana, IL 61801<br><a href="mailto:Leonmcgeeamericorps@gmail.com" target="_blank">Leonmcgeeamericorps@gmail.com</a><br><br>