Penn State is working toward its plans to install sprinklers in all dormitories following fires at Seton Hall University and Bloomsburg University in early 2000 that brought the danger of campus fires to national attention.

Jeff Spackman, Office of Physical Plant project manager, said a long-range plan is in place to add sprinklers at Commonwealth Campuses in addition to University Park dorms.

Penn State spokesman Tysen Kendig said the installation is an "enormous project" that encompasses all 67 University Park and Commonwealth Campus dorms. Across all Penn State campuses, there are 18,000 living units and 4 million square feet of living space that need sprinkler installation.

The project began in 2000 and it is expected to last until 2010, with the overall cost estimated at $50 million. It will be funded through increased room and board rates. Kendig said it is unfortunate that the cost of the sprinklers will increase fees, but deemed the project necessary.

"It is a worthwhile project, but it will have cost effects," Kendig said.

Spackman said it is a very large task to undertake, but it is necessary to accommodate students.

As of now, 10 percent of the sprinkler project is complete. Office of Physical Plant spokesman Paul Ruskin said the project is making excellent progress.

"This is one of the most advanced sprinkling systems available," he said. "We are using the newest technology."

Last summer, sprinklers were installed in Hamilton Hall, as well as one dorm each at Penn State Altoona College, the Hazleton and Mont Alto campuses, and seven apartment buildings at Penn State Erie.

Ruskin said major installations are planned for this summer, including Irvin Hall, Jordan Hall and Thompson Hall and one dorm at the Mont Alto campus. There are also tentative plans for installing sprinklers in some of the dorms in East Halls this summer.

Four more dorms in East Halls, as well as the remaining dorms of West Halls and South Halls are in the design phase, and are slated for completion in 2005. The overall sprinkler installation project is moving along as predicted and is due to be 50 percent completed by 2005.

Kendig said this is a "very intrusive process." There have been numerous delays because the sprinklers can only be installed when students are not occupying the dorms. Therefore, the summer months are the only time when the installation can occur.

Ruskin described how the fires at other universities shed light on the importance of sprinklers in the dormitories. He said that prior to the recent fires, installing sprinklers in dorms was neither mandatory nor popular.

Penn State has electronically monitored smoke detectors, but the addition of the sprinklers will aid in battling fires more effectively and quickly.

"Penn State is now actively moving forward," Ruskin said in reference to sprinkling renovations at all Penn State campuses.