Fire and Life Safety Systems

Fire Alarm System

The Fire Alarm Systems on all three campuses are monitored and supervised 24-7 by the Tufts Police Communications Centers located on the Boston and Medford campuses. The systems are engineered, installed and supervised in accordance with applicable Massachusetts fire and building codes. The systems are maintained, inspected and tested annually in accordance with applicable code. Smoke detectors are ceiling mounted in each resident’s room, the common hallways, stairways and corridors. Horn/strobe warning devices are installed to alert occupants to a life threatening incident. Manual Fire Alarm Pull Stations are located at every exterior exit on all levels of the buildings. Bedroom smoke detectors (local device) are programmed to alert the occupants if the origin of the smoke is in that room only. The detection devices (system devices) in the common areas (i.e., kitchens, living rooms, hallways, stairways and basements) sprinkler head activation, or the activation of a manual fire alarm pull station will sound the building wide evacuation alarm and will also sound in all of the individual student rooms. Whenever a fire alarm activation is transmitted to the Communications Center, a Tufts Police patrol officer is immediately dispatched to the location and the local fire department is notified and responds. The patrol officer arrives within 2-3 minutes, followed by the local career fire department whose response time is usually 3-4 minutes. Upon arrival, the patrol officer determines the location of the alarm activation and proceeds to that location to verify the incident. When the fire department arrives, they assume command of the incident and investigate the reason for the activation. All of the university buildings are equipped with portable, multi-purpose, dry chemical fire extinguishers. Tufts patrol officers are trained to operate the fire extinguishers. If the fire is small enough to be controlled or extinguished by its use, the officer will attempt to extinguish the fire.

Fire Sprinkler System

The fire sprinkler systems on all three campuses are monitored and supervised continuously by the Tufts University Communications Center located on the Boston and Medford campuses. The systems are engineered, installed and supervised in accordance with applicable Massachusetts codes.
97% of all fires in fully sprinklered buildings are controlled by two sprinkler heads or less. When the temperature reaches 155° at the sprinkler head, the fusible link releases and water flows to control and contain the spread of the fire. Only that sprinkler head flows water, subsequent heads will flow water only when the temperature releases the fusible link.

Carbon Monoxide Detection

In accordance with the applicable Massachusetts code, all university residential buildings that contain fossil fuel burning equipment or have enclosed parking are equipped with Carbon Monoxide Alarm protection. The detection devices are wall mounted within ten (10) feet outside of any bedroom on each level of the dwelling unit. When the device has detected abnormal parts per million of carbon monoxide (CO), it sounds a local warning and sends a signal to the Tufts University Communications Center who will dispatch emergency services resources appropriate to the conditions.