RE: Halon, water, etc.

[<macwheel99@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

When the safety inspectors come around, one of the things 
they test is whether the emergency lighting works when there 
is a power outage.  However, for a long time our computer 
room was like a closet office connected to another office, 
connected to a hall way that had no emergency lights.

There were several power outages.  I can see lights on 
computer monitor due to UPS, but I am having a hard time 
holding up the keyboard so I can see keys to use it at same 
time.

To get out of building, I walk with my hand along the wall to 
exit, except someone desk in the way, Ok, I got past that 
without stubbing toe in dark, and now I am in the hallway 
that has no lights, and I feel my way to the door that takes 
me into another unlighted area, and a few more steps and I 
can see the exit sign which is on with the power off.

That is the easy way out, when the problem is a simple power 
outage ... another way out I either need key to front door, 
or heavy duty chair to open a window.

I would not be surprised if the building is 100 years old.

We were ordered to evacuate the building when the people 
digging up the street cut one of our two water lines.  Whey 
do we need two water lines?  Well one is a spare in case of 
fire melting water sprinkeler system

---- Original message ----
> Date: Mon, 18 Jun 2007 12:51:46 -0400
> From: "Chuck Lewis" <chuck.lewis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>  
> Subject: RE: Halon, water, etc.  
> To: "'Midrange Systems Technical Discussion'" <midrange-
l@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
> How old is the building you are in Al ? No offense or 
anything :-) The last
> place I worked was almost 30 years old and all exit signs 
worked in a power
> failure as did emergency lighting.
>
> Chuck
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:midrange-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Al Mac
> Sent: Monday, June 18, 2007 11:45 AM
> To: Midrange Systems Technical Discussion
> Subject: RE: Halon, water, etc.
>
> In case no one else has mentioned it, when building catches 
fire, the power 
> often goes out, and some systems might not work properly, 
such as the 
> batteries for the EXIT signs, if there even is such a sign 
within sight of 
> the closet called computer room.
>
> Solution: very inexpensive to buy flash lights that plug 
into wall sockets 
> ... power on, their batteries are being charged, power off, 
they provide 
> emergency lighting, you grab one ... and remember to crawl 
at a run, to 
> keep head down to avoid destructive smoke inhalation.
>
> If you are in a computer room that has a nearby window, you 
could always 
> throw chair out of window to get alternative rapid exit, so 
long as you 
> watch out for effect of broken window on draft vs. fire, 
plus broken glass 
> when you exit that way.
>
> It helps to be aware of all possible exits from building 
where you work ... 
> where there are doors, where there are windows, where there 
are structuraal 
> weaknesses through which you could bust out in emergency, 
where there are 
> things like fork lift truck to help engineer such unofficial 
exits in a 
> hurry, remembering that fuel for the fork lift truck is 
extremely 
> flammable.  (Don't be using that if fire got to it before 
you did.)
> Perhaps the office across from yours has a window that you 
could squeeze 
> out of & perhaps that office door is locked ... you can get 
on chair & use 
> false ceiling tiles to get over locked door, smoke 
permitting.
> Perhaps do this in a file drill so you know it is doable.
>
>
>
> -- 
> This is the Midrange Systems Technical Discussion (MIDRANGE-
L) mailing list
> To post a message email: MIDRANGE-L@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or change list options,
> visit: http://lists.midrange.com/mailman/listinfo/midrange-l
> or email: MIDRANGE-L-request@xxxxxxxxxxxx
> Before posting, please take a moment to review the archives
> at http://archive.midrange.com/midrange-l.