Upholstered Furniture Violates NH Fire Code, Banned in Phillips Hall

Upholstered furniture has been required to be removed from Phillips Hall after a recent inspection from the Exeter fire department revealed that these items were not in line with the New Hampshire fire code for schools. The decision has sparked confusion and outrage among many faculty members who see it as excessive.Chair of the English department Lundy Smith felt that the decision was illogical.“I understand fire codes, but it just seems shocking to me that they tell me I can’t have cushions, but don’t mind the fact that I have over five hundred books on my bookshelf, because the last time I checked, those are pretty flammable as well,” he said.The decision will affect many faculty members who use items such as curtains, cushions, chairs, loveseats and rugs to decorate their rooms.Smith explained that unlike most schools in New Hampshire, instructors at Exeter use their classroom as their office.In this sense, furniture is not only an aesthetic addition to the space, but also an element that eases the faculty’s work during a long day.“Our classrooms are offices and they are our own little homes, and sometimes people spend over twelve hours a day [in them], and so it’s nice to have a little bit of the comforts of home while you’re grading papers or reading,” Smith said.“So some of the teachers are upset that it’s just stripping away a nice element of what our lives are like when we teach.”Many faculty members viewed the fire department’s decision as unreasonable and noted the lack of clarity behind why upholstered furniture violates fire code.“I just don’t understand,” English instructor Duncan Holcomb said.“You can’t have curtains in a room? We have windows, but you can’t have curtains? It makes no sense to me. What about a comfortable chair? I have a chair that's school issued and has some fabric on it. It just seems ridiculous.”Smith said he found it absurd that upholstered furniture was considered a violation in classrooms, yet couches in department meeting rooms—which are of a similar size—did not conflict with the fire code.“The question I have is why we can’t have an upholstered chair in the classroom, but we can have couches in our department room. I just would like to know the difference between the two rooms, and why it’s a violation in one room and not in the other,” Smith said.English instructor Christina Breen said that the fire department should clarify why upholstered furniture is a threat to the safety of students and faculty.“I don’t really understand it from a safety perspective, so I think it would be more helpful if we had an understanding of why a chair in the corner of my room is a fire hazard,” Breen said.“I’d want the students to be safe, but I don’t understand why having a chair in my room is unsafe, so I think there needs to be more clarity in the message.”Holcomb agreed, saying that the fire department was being unreasonable.“When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail to describe the situation. When you’re a fire marshal, you see everything as a fire code violation,” he said.While some students viewed the decision as illogical, some emphasized the importance of the well-being of students and following the fire code.“I think that a lot of the furniture in the rooms portrays the personality of the teacher and creates a comfortable atmosphere for the class. I understand why the fire department believes there is a risk, but I think it is very unfortunate and if possible, should be circumvented,” senior Diane Lee said.Upper Jad Seligman agreed that the personalization of classrooms is what makes each teacher unique, but viewed the decision as inevitable and needed to ensure the safety of students.“All over campus, there are teachers who personalize their classrooms with posters or furniture. But I guess it's for the best. It's a fire code violation,” he said.Faculty shared their hopes for the fire department to change their decision and allow the faculty to keep their classrooms as is.“I’m hoping we can work out a deal that maybe we either make sure some of the stuff is fireproof or find out if the fire marshal will consider looking at us again in a different light,” Smith said.Holcomb said that even if the furniture is required to be moved out for now, he believes the fire department and the Academy will be able to reach a point of common understanding.“You just have to strike a balance,” Holcomb said.“I think at some point the pendulum will swing back, and the fire marshals, including the difficult man that we have here at Exeter, will understand the circumstances of this school.”