2008 Woodie Awards
Lighting still a problem a month after safety walk
Christopher Barrett
Issue date: 12/6/07 Section: News
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12/06/07 - A month after the annual Safety and Lighting Walk, Facilities Services has made mixed progress correcting problems identified at the time.
"I think we've got a distance to go, yet our plan is to try and get as many of these fixed up by the end of this month, certainly by the holidays," said Jerry Sidio, director of Facilities Services.
Last night, Sidio spent a little less than two hours on a driving and walking tour with a Cigar reporter to check the status of concerns raised during the Nov. 7 walk organized by the Student Senate. On the way, Sidio stopped and pointed out lights repaired - such as those on Independence Hall, behind Heathman Hall and near the Terrace Apartments - and occasionally made a note when things were not up to par.
The department successfully repaired about half the lighting concerns raised on the walk, and nine of 46 areas of concern identified on an internal memo Sidio shared with the Cigar.
Sidio said he remained particularly concerned about the area between Green and Independence halls, where trees and buildings cast deep shadows after the lights once there went "missing." Sidio speculated workers inadvertently removed the lights during construction in the area.
"This is the one dark area we haven't been able to get," Sidio said.
Nearby, Sidio pointed out Facilities repaired lights above Independence Hall's rear doors and is planning on fixing the lights on Edwards Hall. Across the Quadrangle, renovations to Lippitt Hall cut power to the exterior lights and Sidio promised to find a way to bring light to the area.
The problem, Sidio said, is not a lack of willingness to fix the lights, but finding time and staffing to make repairs to the hundreds of lights on campus. One six-person crew responds to all electrical problems on campus, which includes more than 100 buildings, thousands of lights and dozens of electrical systems.
Sidio said the team's responsibilities include everything from fixing lights to checking on the electric heat used in some buildings. The problem is compounded by a statewide shortage of licensed electricians - exasperated by the construction of the URI Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences.
"I think we've got a distance to go, yet our plan is to try and get as many of these fixed up by the end of this month, certainly by the holidays," said Jerry Sidio, director of Facilities Services.
Last night, Sidio spent a little less than two hours on a driving and walking tour with a Cigar reporter to check the status of concerns raised during the Nov. 7 walk organized by the Student Senate. On the way, Sidio stopped and pointed out lights repaired - such as those on Independence Hall, behind Heathman Hall and near the Terrace Apartments - and occasionally made a note when things were not up to par.
The department successfully repaired about half the lighting concerns raised on the walk, and nine of 46 areas of concern identified on an internal memo Sidio shared with the Cigar.
Sidio said he remained particularly concerned about the area between Green and Independence halls, where trees and buildings cast deep shadows after the lights once there went "missing." Sidio speculated workers inadvertently removed the lights during construction in the area.
"This is the one dark area we haven't been able to get," Sidio said.
Nearby, Sidio pointed out Facilities repaired lights above Independence Hall's rear doors and is planning on fixing the lights on Edwards Hall. Across the Quadrangle, renovations to Lippitt Hall cut power to the exterior lights and Sidio promised to find a way to bring light to the area.
The problem, Sidio said, is not a lack of willingness to fix the lights, but finding time and staffing to make repairs to the hundreds of lights on campus. One six-person crew responds to all electrical problems on campus, which includes more than 100 buildings, thousands of lights and dozens of electrical systems.
Sidio said the team's responsibilities include everything from fixing lights to checking on the electric heat used in some buildings. The problem is compounded by a statewide shortage of licensed electricians - exasperated by the construction of the URI Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences.