Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
My Story
“Sunday, May 12, 1996, was graduation day at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, as well as Mothers Day. It was a beautiful day with Carolina blue skies, however, it also was a day that changed my family’s lives forever. My only son, Ben, and four other students died in an early morning fire, which was caused by carelessly discard smoking materials, at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity house. Even though the smoke alarms activated, there simply was not enough time for them to escape. I learned from Chapel Hill Fire Chief Dan Jones that fire sprinklers could have saved them, buying them the extra time they needed to escape while containing the fire to a small area.
In fact, two years before the fire, Chief Jones had alerted town and university officials that the old fraternity houses presented significant fire risks and recommended retrofitting them with fire sprinklers. They felt it was not a cost-effective decision and that Chief Jones may have been overreacting to the dangers.
After having experienced the ultimate loss of my son, Ben, I knew I had to speak out to bring attention to this national tragedy and promote lifesaving fire sprinkler protection. My mission was to save lives and prevent other parents from experiencing what my family had to experience. With the help of Chief Jones, I became an advocate that spoke at many colleges and universities, promoting progressive legislation for fire sprinklers wherever possible. From this tragedy, I have been able to make positive changes in fire protection efforts, unifying my voice with other advocates through Common Voices to make an even bigger impact. We bring the ‘unexpected messenger’ into the fire sprinkler conversations at the local, state, and national levels.”
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Advocacy Portfolio
- Actively engaged with fire marshal’s fire safety training program for Greek organizations at University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
- Lobbied U.S. Congress during multiple attempts to pass Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act
- Testified in Wisconsin state hearings which led to legislation requiring fire sprinklers in college dormitories
- Serving on the board of the North Carolina Residential Fire Sprinkler Coalition, lobbied the North Carolina Building Code Council to support fire sprinklers in homes and apartments
- Speaking engagements at various fire service and fire safety organization conferences and colleges nationwide
In the News
- “Families Remember Phi Gamma Delta Fire 20 Years Later,” Daily Tar Heel, May 11, 2016.
- “Ben Woodruff Story,” YouTube post by PBFIGot2Kno, July 24, 2012.
- “Remembering the Phi Gamma Delta House Fire,” WRAL-TV, October 29, 2007.
- “For Ben: A Mom’s Crusade for Safer Campuses,” Guideposts, September 2007 issue.
- “Greek Fire Safety Efforts Renew with New Semester,” University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill news release, September 9, 1999.
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