TO THE EDITOR:
During the commencement ceremony on May 12, 1996 — Mother’s Day — a cloud of smoke floated over Kenan Stadium, masking the Carolina blue sky, a cloud originating from the Phi Gamma Delta house.
That morning, five young people lost their lives in a tragic fire: Mark Strickland, Josh Weaver, Ben Woodruff, Joanna Howell and Anne Smith.
Today, let us think of those five young Tar Heels.
Let their memory remind us all that our time is precious, that our safety lies in our own hands.
As a result of the fire, all dorms and Greek houses have sprinklers and fire alarm systems with direct notification to the fire department.
If you live off campus, insist that every bedroom have a working smoke detector and try to select housing with sprinkler systems.
We truly have heroes in the Chapel Hill Fire Department who keep us all safe and healthy.
But ultimately, it is our individual responsibility to ensure that we are well protected from fire. Do not let the deaths of these five young students be in vain. Take steps to protect yourself. And never forget.
