School Supt: Medford High School is Safe

Responds to Council’s Questions on Fire Alarm Status

Emergency vehicles outside of Medford High School during the August 2007 fire.

– Allison Goldsberry

A small fire at Medford High School over the summer revealed that the school’s aging fire alarm system had some kinks in it.  Now, several months later, the call system is triggering enough false alarms to cause the Fire Department to shut it off on the weekend, and the City Council wants to know what’s going on at the school to keep students and staff safe.

According to School Superintendent Roy Belson, at the recommendation of the Fire Department, the school has been under a fire watch since last summer’s fire.  That means that one fire department staffer is at the school during school hours to make sure the building is safe.

Belson said the school does have cleaning and security personnel in the building at night to keep an eye on things.

“Everyone’s safe.  The building’s safe,” said Belson.

According to Belson all smoke and heat detectors in the building are working.  However there is a problem with the call system, which tends to trigger false alarms, which led the Fire Department to shut the system down over the weekend.  Belson said the system has been back on since classes resumed.

Belson said the fire alarm system will eventually have to be completely replaced because of its age.  In the meantime, officials are looking at the system and interim repairs are being planned.

The Council raised the issue at its Tuesday night meeting after Councilor Robert Maiocco sponsored a resolution seeking an update on the high school’s fire alarm system.

“We need answers on this…[before] it becomes a liability that none of us want to discuss,” said Maiocco.