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Maintaining a historic landmark with new fire codes isn’t an easy task. Since November of 2008, the third floor of Plant Hall has been undergoing an extensive upgrade in its entire fire system to meet new standards.
During winter break, the new system was completed, tested and is now fully functional. Over 50 strobes were installed on the third floor alongside sound horns and a new control panel.
Among its new features is an addressable PA system, according to Frank Lidiak, General Manager for Facilities at UT. ‘With this new feature I can address the public verbally and tell them to ‘get out’ if it’s necessary,’ he said.
This is a continuous upgrade that is done periodically to ensure that even historic buildings are safe. ‘Plant Hall’s fourth floor was upgraded last year, and the second floor will be next summer,’ Lidiak said.
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