THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, September 2, 1995 TAG: 9509020409
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN AND STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 59 lines
Only one in four of Virginia Beach's public schools - 19 out of 75 - have full sprinkler systems that might protect them from a blaze like that which heavily damaged Princess Anne High School.
Another 25 have partial systems.
But the city is not alone. Most schools in South Hampton Roads lack sprinkler systems, although newer buildings generally are protected.
Concern about safety arose Friday after an early-morning fire ravaged a large portion of Princess Anne, which was built in 1954 without sprinklers. An addition now under construction was designed with sprinklers.
``The decision was made in the early 1980s that any new schools built would have a sprinkler system to meet code,'' said Dr. W.L. Spence, director of school plant and supply services. ``One-third of our schools have sprinkler systems in selected areas, like any new additions.''
No one was injured in the Princess Anne blaze, which burned for nearly five hours through the second story of the building.
Schools protect students and staff by conducting frequent fire drills. And most buildings also have been built with fire walls and other architectural safeguards.
But sprinkler systems, considered to be the best protection device, are absent from many older schools in the area.
Frank Sellew, a deputy superintendent in Norfolk, said most of his city's schools do not have sprinklers.
Some, he said, are equipped in ``critical areas'' such as hallways. Full sprinkler systems are in some newer schools, or those that have had major renovations such as Maury High.
Both Lakeland and Nansemond River high schools in Suffolk are fully protected by sprinklers, school officials said.
Four elementary schools have partial sprinkler systems and fire-wall systems. All three middle schools and six other elementary schools rely solely on fire walls.
A new elementary school under construction in Suffolk will be fully equipped with sprinklers.
Tom Cupitt, a spokesman for Chesapeake schools, said all new construction, such as Oscar L. Smith High School and Thurgood Marshall Elementary, is equipped with sprinklers.
But most of the system's 42 schools do not have sprinklers, he said. He did not have exact figures. Schools recently renovated, such as Hickory Elementary, Western Branch Intermediate and Deep Creek High, have been equipped with partial systems.
In Portsmouth, only Churchland High, which opened in 1992 is fully equipped, said Sidney J. Duck, an assistant superintendent. At least five schools are partially sprinkler equipped, he said. The rest have no sprinklers. MEMO: Main story on page A1 and related stories on pages A8 and Ao.
by CNB