Icicles pose threat on campus
By Rebekah Richards
Staff Writer
Thursday, March 3rd, 2010
Melting snow during
the last few weeks has created 5- to 6-foot long icicles on some of the
buildings on campus, keeping Physical Plant workers busy trying to
prevent icicles from injuring people.
“Icicles are going to form and you can’t stop them,” said Joe McGurn, the director of Physical Plant.
The buildings’ roofs are built in a way that is supposed to keep snow from falling, McGurn said. He said that when the snow melts it should run into the gutters and be taken away from the building. However, the gutters froze this year, causing the icicles to form, McGurn said.
McGurn said that caution tape barriers have been put up around the area where the icicles might fall from the buildings in order to keep students from getting hurt.
Saint Thomas More and Saint Louis and Elizabeth halls had some of the worst icicles, McGurn said.
Some students thought that putting up caution tape made it inconvenient for students to get into the hall. Places roped off near the entrances to the buildings meant a slightly longer walk.
Bridget Rumley, a resident of St. Thomas More Hall, said she has gone under the tape at times.
“Most people that I saw went around. Girls are more likely to ignore it if they didn’t have a key and the door was closing,” Rumley said. “I think that it is the most realistic thing they could do. The ice is dangerous.”
Kelsey Jewell, also a resident of St. Thomas More, said, “I am thankful that they put the tape up and care about our well-being.”
McGurn said, “Students have a superman syndrome, meaning the idea that nothing bad will ever happen to me. “(The icicles are) a dangerous condition that people need to be aware of.”
Jessica Davanzati said the barriers were inconvenient but they did not bother her too much.
One problem with the barriers of caution tape, however, was that some people did not know why they were there. Because of that some students thought it was fine to go under or over the tape and did not realize the danger, McGurn said.
McGurn said that it might have been more effective to put signs up saying why the tape was there, but the problem of the icicles was developing quickly and signs saying “Danger, icicles” are not something that physical plant keeps on hand.
Physical Plant put up the barriers as they noticed a problem on the buildings. Students would call in with concerns about certain areas or Physical Plant workers would see new icicles forming while working and would inform their boss of the problem, McGurn said.
The steps on the side of Finnegan Fieldhouse also were closed due to the icicles, making it more inconvenient for students living in any of the halls near Piazza dei Santi to get to and from the Fieldhouse.
“I think the tape is really inconvenient but it’s for our safety so it’s a good idea,” said Meredith Fanning. “The tape is the most realistic thing to do until it melts.”
Fanning said she had gone over the tape once because it had fallen down.
In addition to putting up the barriers, Physical Plant also was able to go into some of the dorm rooms and knock down some of the more dangerous icicles, McGurn said. However, some icicles could not be reached.
McGurn said he did not think that the school had ever dealt with icicles this large or plentiful before.
Due to the weather, gutters have fallen off the buildings or turned away from the buildings. In the spring many of the gutters will need repair. McGurn said he was unsure what this would cost the university.
“Icicles are going to form and you can’t stop them,” said Joe McGurn, the director of Physical Plant.
The buildings’ roofs are built in a way that is supposed to keep snow from falling, McGurn said. He said that when the snow melts it should run into the gutters and be taken away from the building. However, the gutters froze this year, causing the icicles to form, McGurn said.
McGurn said that caution tape barriers have been put up around the area where the icicles might fall from the buildings in order to keep students from getting hurt.
Saint Thomas More and Saint Louis and Elizabeth halls had some of the worst icicles, McGurn said.
Some students thought that putting up caution tape made it inconvenient for students to get into the hall. Places roped off near the entrances to the buildings meant a slightly longer walk.
Bridget Rumley, a resident of St. Thomas More Hall, said she has gone under the tape at times.
“Most people that I saw went around. Girls are more likely to ignore it if they didn’t have a key and the door was closing,” Rumley said. “I think that it is the most realistic thing they could do. The ice is dangerous.”
Kelsey Jewell, also a resident of St. Thomas More, said, “I am thankful that they put the tape up and care about our well-being.”
McGurn said, “Students have a superman syndrome, meaning the idea that nothing bad will ever happen to me. “(The icicles are) a dangerous condition that people need to be aware of.”
Jessica Davanzati said the barriers were inconvenient but they did not bother her too much.
One problem with the barriers of caution tape, however, was that some people did not know why they were there. Because of that some students thought it was fine to go under or over the tape and did not realize the danger, McGurn said.
McGurn said that it might have been more effective to put signs up saying why the tape was there, but the problem of the icicles was developing quickly and signs saying “Danger, icicles” are not something that physical plant keeps on hand.
Physical Plant put up the barriers as they noticed a problem on the buildings. Students would call in with concerns about certain areas or Physical Plant workers would see new icicles forming while working and would inform their boss of the problem, McGurn said.
The steps on the side of Finnegan Fieldhouse also were closed due to the icicles, making it more inconvenient for students living in any of the halls near Piazza dei Santi to get to and from the Fieldhouse.
“I think the tape is really inconvenient but it’s for our safety so it’s a good idea,” said Meredith Fanning. “The tape is the most realistic thing to do until it melts.”
Fanning said she had gone over the tape once because it had fallen down.
In addition to putting up the barriers, Physical Plant also was able to go into some of the dorm rooms and knock down some of the more dangerous icicles, McGurn said. However, some icicles could not be reached.
McGurn said he did not think that the school had ever dealt with icicles this large or plentiful before.
Due to the weather, gutters have fallen off the buildings or turned away from the buildings. In the spring many of the gutters will need repair. McGurn said he was unsure what this would cost the university.