Your Tax Dollars at Work

[ZZZips]

How many OU Bobcats does it take to cook microwave popcorn?

Maybe we should use the money to buy them pre-popped corn in bags since they can't handle such intricate devices.

Ohio U. federal grant to help cut microwave fires

8/11/2010 8:58 AM ET

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio University hopes to keep firefighters from running to the campus over burning popcorn or other food in dorm room microwave ovens.

The school says it has been awarded a $388,000 federal grant, most of which will be used to buy 4,500 sensors for microwaves in the residence halls. The sensors can detect smoke in small quantities and will shut off the appliances to keep burning food from becoming bad enough to set off a dorm smoke detector and alarm system.

University Environmental Health and Safety Director Joe Adams estimates it cost Athens city firefighters more than $2,000 each time they have to respond to a call on the campus. Adams says the sensors should help reduce nuisance fire runs by at least 75 percent.

[Z.I.P.]

How many OU Bobcats does it take to cook microwave popcorn?

Maybe we should use the money to buy them pre-popped corn in bags since they can't handle such intricate devices.

Ohio U. federal grant to help cut microwave fires

8/11/2010 8:58 AM ET

ATHENS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio University hopes to keep firefighters from running to the campus over burning popcorn or other food in dorm room microwave ovens.

The school says it has been awarded a $388,000 federal grant, most of which will be used to buy 4,500 sensors for microwaves in the residence halls. The sensors can detect smoke in small quantities and will shut off the appliances to keep burning food from becoming bad enough to set off a dorm smoke detector and alarm system.

University Environmental Health and Safety Director Joe Adams estimates it cost Athens city firefighters more than $2,000 each time they have to respond to a call on the campus. Adams says the sensors should help reduce nuisance fire runs by at least 75 percent.

That means they had to have at least 194 popcorn fires (@2k per call) last year for this to balance out $$-wise. Maybe they should create a hemp fire-alarm system if they REALLY want to save money in Athens! Wonder how long it took Todd Mollautt to put this story up on Miami HawkTalk?

[GP1]

University Environmental Health and Safety Director Joe Adams estimates it cost Athens city firefighters more than $2,000 each time they have to respond to a call on the campus.

How far away from the firehouse are the dorms? The firemen work full time and the only cost should be the gas to run the engine. The electricity to run the garage door can't be too expensive. Paperwork, but they are full time employees with little else to do.