Residents of Pearce-Ford Tower at Western Kentucky University are being vigilant, hoping to catch the person setting off fire alarms in the hall. Nashville senior Jaivonna Crook, resident assistant for the eighth floor, said the alarms began about 12:30 a.m. and went off again at around 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on Monday and Tuesday. We wouldnt get in until 5 a.m., Crook said. The alarms originated from pull stations on several floors. WKU Police are looking for the person responsible, and Housing and Residence Life has offered a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible. Most likely someone in the building knows whats going on, HRL director Brian Kuster said. The staff has also put an iridescent powder on the pull stations which shows up under florescent lights, Kuster said. The powder should show up on the pranksters hands. Kuster said his biggest concern is that if a real fire started, students would think it was another false alarm. You never know what is a fire and what is a malicious prank, Kuster said. If the prankster is a student, not only could he or she face criminal charges, but could also be expelled from Western. I would hate to see a student lose their opportunity to go to college doing something they consider a prank, Kuster said. The Bowling Green Fire Department charges a fee for some false alarms. The first three false alarms are free, but the fourth is a $25 fee, the fifth is $50, the sixth is $75 and any over that are $100, Chief Jerry Brown said. Fire investigator David McCarty said the Bowling Green Fire Department has made six runs to PFT since Monday, with all but the first one caused by the pull stations. McCarty said the fire department cant bill for calls to state-owned buildings, but since the dorms are now owned by the private Student Life Foundation, it can be charged. The SLF will only be billed $25 for these runs, since the circumstances are unusual, McCarty said. Ive never really had this happen, he said. The money for these fees comes from students housing fees, Kuster said. In the dorms that have been renovated on Westerns campus, new pull stations have been installed. These stations have a plastic cover on them that must be lifted to get to the station. When the plastic cover is lifted, a shrill alarm goes off. PFT doesnt have these type of stations. It wouldnt stop them, but it would alert someone else, Kuster said. It may help us catch whos doing it. Kuster said the long-term plan is to install these stations in all the dorms. The students have been missing sleep, but the resident assistants have to make sure everyone is safe, and must assist officers when the alarms go off. Weve been up longer than any of the students because we have other things to do, Crook said. Were really not getting any sleep. Weve been trying to squeeze in naps when we can. Sara Hickok, an Elizabethtown freshman who lives on the 21st floor, said she is scared to sleep at night. I couldnt go to sleep until 4 a.m. again, Hickok said. She doesnt think the long treks down the stairs with the alarm blaring and standing out in the chilly night are over. I think they are going to do it until they get caught, Hickok said. I think its stupid, not a good prank. John Hitch, an Elizabethtown freshman who lives on the third floor, said he has been sitting in his roommates car or going to friends rooms during the alarms. Its still frustrating because you cant go to bed, Hitch said. You lose a lot of sleep. The RAs started walking the halls Wednesday night to try to deter more alarms. RAs from other buildings were helping out, Crook said. Were just waiting to see if something else happens so that they have a better idea of who it is, she said. In February 2002, PFT had several fire alarms when someone started fires in the trash chute and in a kitchen. Its not half as bad as it was last year, but its still pretty bad, Crook said. Crook, who has lived in the building for three years, was the RA on the 25th floor last year. Since the students have to use the stairs during the fire alarm, they are getting a workout. It still burns a little bit in my thighs, Crook said. Its good exercise though.