In a demonstration of community partnership, Logistics, Transportation & Parking and Environmental Health & Safety recently collaborated with the Ann Arbor Fire Department (AAFD) to conduct a safety training and testing exercise at the Wall Street West Parking Structure.
This joint initiative not only strengthened the working relationship between the university and the city departments, but also improved the safety and emergency preparedness of our campus.
The exercise, held on a Saturday morning, involved a full-scale simulation of a vehicle fire on the top level of the parking structure.
Recognizing that car fires are a reality in large parking systems, LTP initiated this exercise to improve the fire department’s familiarity with university structures and staff, viewing it as a step forward in being better prepared for future fires.
The AAFD utilized this opportunity for a live training drill, deploying high-rise bundles and testing their response times for getting water to the fire suppression system’s standpipe connections. This hands-on training is invaluable for firefighters, allowing them to practice and refine their techniques in a real-world environment.
This collaboration also provided an opportunity to test the functionality and flow of the parking structure’s fire safety systems. As Paul Clark, Manager of Parking Maintenance, noted, “It is a good exercise for the structure’s life safety systems, ensuring they are functioning as designed.”
The test, which involved flowing water through the standpipe system, provided training and confirmed the readiness of the infrastructure for use in the event of an emergency. During the test, a connection valve was performing below expectation, so it will be replaced to improve the standpipe flow and in turn, future response times.
The planning and execution of this event required close coordination. LTP worked to close the top three levels of the parking structure for the duration of the exercise and provided support staff to ensure the event ran smoothly.
The U-M Fire Marshal, Andy Box, from EHS was also in attendance to coordinate efforts and document the system test results.
Communications were sent out in advance to the university community to create awareness about the temporary closures and the purpose of the training.
This successful collaboration between LTP, EHS, and the AAFD is a testament to the shared commitment to safety and emergency preparedness.
By working together, we are not only ensuring the integrity of our campus infrastructure but also building a safer and more resilient community for everyone.