14 rooms at RMHS flooded

Richard Montgomery High School is a brand new building, completed in 2008.  The opening of the building was delayed in 2007 due in part to $509,969 in errors made with regard to the electric work in the building.   Information on the various contractors involved in the building can be found here.

Here is today's news from Richard Montgomery:

Gazette:  Broken sprinkler head floods rooms at Richard Montgomery

...two students tossing around a medicine ball* in the Rockville school's physical education area around 9 a.m. broke the sprinkler head, which let loose enough water to flood 14 rooms with an inch or two of water...

...The school has brought in large fans and dehumidifiers in an effort to dry out the soggy rooms. Tofig said the dance studio, a locker room and a physical education area will be closed for the rest of the week, but was unsure of the state of the rest of the rooms. He noted the dance studio is the only room believed to have sustained permanent damage and that was to its floor.

"But we won't know for sure until it's done drying out," Tofig said.

According to an article from American School and University entitled Sprinkler Safety:

One of the best ways to avoid accidental sprinkler discharges is to inspect your facilities to determine if there may be sprinkler heads in locations that would be prone to damage from activities such as moving equipment; construction activities; sports activities where balls or other sporting equipment might contact a sprinkler head; or changes in use that may cause indoor temperatures to change due to heat-producing equipment.

This inspection may indicate that a sprinkler head needs a higher temperature rating. You may need to provide a protective cage to protect the head from mechanical damage.

* Medicine balls are generally constructed of a leather or vinyl covered nylon cloth, and filled with impact absorbing materials to give them weight. Vinyl covered medicine balls typically are sand filled and are not used for exercises requiring bouncing.