Mike Colón Media

In May 1996, a tragic fire broke out at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. The blaze led to the deaths of five students who were unable to escape the upper floors of the building. The incident highlighted severe gaps in fire safety for student housing, particularly the lack of sprinkler systems.

Following this tragedy, Chapel Hill Fire Chief Dan Jones, then a 22 year veteran of the fire service, spearheaded a campaign to improve fire safety in student housing. He advocated for enhanced building codes, pushing for mandatory sprinkler systems in fraternity and sorority houses. His efforts included working closely with local government, university officials, and national fire safety organizations. The reforms led to stricter regulations and improved safety protocols, setting a precedent that influenced fire safety policies at colleges nationwide. A silver lining in an otherwise terrible tragedy.

Really enjoyed profiling the Chief for Volume 5 of The Best of The Bravest: Nationwide Edition.

VIEW FULL INTERVIEW HERE: