More than a year after a Seton Hall University dormitory fire that killed three students and raised concerns about campus fire safety, state Rep. David Woodward (D-Royal Oak) last week introduced a bill that he said will improve the safety of students living on college campuses.

House Bill 4504 would require sprinklers in all residence halls in colleges and universities in Michigan.

The bill states that the state Fire Safety Board "shall promulgate rules pertaining to fire safety requirements for the construction, operation, or maintenance of the following: schools and dormitories, including state supported schools, colleges, and universities and school, college, and university dormitories. The rules shall require installation of an automatic sprinkler system in each dormitory."

This bill follows a Seton Hall University announcement after the fire that the school would be installing sprinkler systems in all unequipped dormitories.

University of Michigan Facilities and Operations spokeswoman Diane Brown said campus residence halls are not completely equipped with sprinklers. "They have some sprinklers in some areas in all of our residents halls," Brown said.

Due to recent renovations, the entire top floor of South Quad Residence Hall is equipped with sprinklers. They can also be found near laundry facilities and other areas where a fire is likely to occur. However, students" rooms and hallways are not currently fully equipped with sprinkler systems.

If the bill is passed, Brown said there would be a "significant cost implication" for the University because the residence halls were built before 1968 and would need extra renovations to allow for sprinkler systems.

"But those costs do not compare to the costs of students" lives," she added. "If sprinklers could save one life, that would be a good thing."

The last major residence hall fire at the University happened last August when construction materials ignited and started a blaze on the roof of West Quad. There were no injuries sustained from the fire. The last injury sustained from a residence hall fire occurred in 1981 when a student panicked, jumped out a window and broke her leg.

Last year, 18 fires occurred in University residence halls. Brown said the fires were results of accidents, carelessness and arson. Brown said the most important ways students can protect themselves and prevent fires is to take fire alarms seriously and to follow safety rules and regulations.

"All the things that aren"t allowed, that"s the reason they aren"t allowed, because they could potentially cause a fire," she said.

Brown added that most fires in residence halls, including overloaded electrical outlet fires, happen near the floor and would not activate heat-sensitive sprinklers.

"By the time the heat would activate the sprinkler system, the students need to be out of their rooms," she said. "Sprinkling can be an added tool in fighting fires, but it"s primarily for saving property."

University Vice President for Government Relations Cynthia Wilbanks said more time and information is needed before the University will decide if it supports the bill.

"It is very early in the process and a committee hearing has not been done on the bill. It is hard to say what the outcomes are going to be," she said.

Wilbanks said she is currently trying to obtain a consensus about the bill from "people who have expertise on campus."

"The goal is laudable, but there are all kinds of considerations that need to be addressed," she said.

The bill is currently being reviewed by the House Committee on Regulatory Reform.