Dormitory sprinkler bills introduced

WASHINGTON-Two bills are making their way through Congressional ranks on Capital Hill that would provide for fire sprinkler systems or other fire prevention technologies in public and private college and university housing. About $100 million is authorized to be appropriated for each fiscal year between 2002 and 2006 for assistance in dormitory and fraternal house retrofits. The bills have been introduced by Sen. John Edwards D-NC and Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones D-OH. University to begin $1 million fire upgrade EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.-Southern Illinois University received approval from its Board of Trustees for a $1 million renovation of the smoke alarm system located at its Cougar Village apartment complex. The revamped system, which will trigger all the smoke detectors in the building when one goes off, is expected to be completed by the beginning of the fall semester. The complex suffered a fire in February, but not all the smoke detectors went off in individual apartment units. The fire damaged eight apartment buildings ­ two from fire and the rest from water damage. American Fire Retardant signs deal with direct response firm SAN DIEGO-American Fire Retardant Corp., based here, announced in March that it had hired on a direct-response marketing firm to produce infomercials of its Fyberix 2000-V aerosol fire retardant. The manufacturing company signed a contract with Fawcett Productions Inc. for a 60-second radio spot, a 60-second direct response TV commercial and the implementation and back-end administration of the Fyberix 2000-V direct-response campaign.