Facilities Management (FM) is always looking for ways to improve campus infrastructure, enhance safety, and reduce costly maintenance issues. Recently, FM launched a new initiative to monitor emergency showers across multiple campus buildings in order to prevent water damage and improve response times when emergency showers are activated. This project marks the first time FM has taken steps to monitor on-campus showers and represents an important step toward making our campus safer and more efficient! We sat down with Cuong Lam, IPE for the Security Alarm Shop, and Chris Deutsch, IPE from Plumbing to understand more about what makes the project uniquely important.

The project began when campus leadership identified that a recent rise in emergency showers being accidentally or unnecessarily activated was costing thousands of dollars in repairs. Showers that are activated unnecessarily risk flooding the building and causing lasting structural damage. In response, the Security Alarm Shop and Plumbing Shop worked together in collaboration to come up with an innovative solution: a flow switch that consistently monitors how much water is flowing through the shower pipes. The flow switch is connected to a wireless transmitter that reports to a silent alarm panel, which in turn notifies operators immediately so that they can visit the site and check if there is an emergency or not. These silent alarms give operators the ability to monitor shower use in real time. If the showers are turned on accidentally, they now have time to turn the shower off before too much water accumulates. In the case that the shower is being used for a true emergency situation, the operators are able to notify emergency services before the situation escalates.

The first two buildings that the flow switches were installed in were Hunt and Robbins Hall. The initial installations took place in the first quarter of 2024 and were completed within a couple of months. After successfully implementing these changes, FM secured $50,000 in additional funding to expand monitoring to four more buildings: RMI Brewery, RMI North, RMI South, and Storer Hall. Patrick Tabion, a technician from the Alarm Shop, played a crucial role in setting up the new monitoring technology. Gary Fitzpatrick and Juan Lucero, from the Plumbing shop, assisted with installing the flow switches to the units.

This project is a great example of how FM implements proactive solutions to campus maintenance issues. Instead of waiting for expensive repairs to become necessary, FM is now taking steps to prevent damage before it can even occur in the first place. By monitoring these emergency showers, the university can redirect important funds to other campus needs while also making sure that safety equipment is being used appropriately and efficiently.

Since this is the first instance of emergency shower monitoring on campus, it sets a precedent to start exploring other areas on campus that need improvement or are causing unexpected costs. Over the coming years, the Security Alarm Shop and Plumbing plan to install monitoring systems in more buildings to further expand the program and eventually monitor every emergency eyewash or shower station on campus.

The impact of this project will be felt for years to come. By preventing unnecessary water damage and streamlining emergency response procedures, UC Davis is ensuring that its campus remains a safe, well-maintained environment for students, faculty, and staff. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of the Security Alarm Shop and Plumbing Shop, this initiative is helping to shape a more sustainable, safe, and cost-efficient future for the university!