[nfbwatlk] FW: Weekend Storm in Vancouver - FYI

[Mike Freeman]

From: Janet Kurz [mailto:janet.kurz at wssb.wa.gov] 
Sent: Tuesday, May 29, 2012 9:47 AM
Subject: Weekend Storm in Vancouver - FYI

 

Forwarded by request from Dean:

 

This past weekend we experienced an electrical storm unlike anything I have
seen since moving to the Pacific NW in 1986.  Friday evening, a large fir
tree was struck by lightning in the Hudsons Bay area, just west of campus.
This caused an electrical feedback through the ground which blew out
multiple boards on our fire alarm system.  This resulted in Rob Tracey and
Simplex (Fire Alarm Company) spending many hours this weekend trying to get
our system up and running.  They were able to repair some of the panels, but
parts had to be ordered and the system will be repaired tomorrow.  Until the
system is fully restored, staff in the various buildings have been put on
fire watch, which just means to be very attentive to any electrical
problems, etc.  This event could potentially cost the school approximately
$20,000 for repairs.     

 

On top of this, Saturday night we had an rain storm (1.5" of rain in about 1
hour), which flooded the Ahlsten Building (building occupied by the police),
and water coming down the ramp in Old Main (east side of the building).
Once again Rob was back with Ian Goodrich trying to remove water from the
buildings and drying out carpets.  Old Main looks fine, but I'm sure we will
have to replace some carpeting in Ahlsten, which I am guessing will be in
the $20,000-$30,000 range.   We will give the building a few more days to
dry out, and then bring in a company to give us some estimates.  We will be
meeting with DES (formerly General Administration) architectural/engineering
folks today to make sure we move forward in the right way under emergency
provisions to get the carpeting done in a timely manner.  We will also be
exploring the installation of a secondary overflow system on the internal
gutter system on the Alhsten building, to hopefully eliminate this type of
situation from occurring again.

    

 

Dean O. Stenehjem, Ed.D.

Washington State School for the Blind 

2214 E. 13th Street

Vancouver, WA 98661

360-696-6321  130# 

 

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