Emergency lights, security links added to parking lots

Three new security lights and information centers, known as “Blue Lights,” have been installed in student parking lots on campus. The emergency lines are linked directly to campus security. (Plourde photo)

By Shandra Plourde
Norwich Guidon Staff Writer

Norwich University has joined other colleges across the country seeking a better way to provide security to student parking lots.

Little blue lights have appeared nationwide as a symbol of security for college students. And NU has added three to the upper and lower parking lots. They were activated Jan. 14. The lights were installed to help solve the safety concerns brought by the Student Senate. Almost two years ago, the Student Senate studied the campus and purposed sites for emergency call boxes across campus.

These three particular locations were selected from the Student Senate list, because “they are on the edge of the campus, it is not populated, and there isn't much foot traffic, especially during [the] night,” explained Bizhan Yahyazadeh, director of facilities. “They picked other locations around campus, but unfortunately, financially, we could not afford to install all these emergency phones around campus.”

The units consist of a tall metal casing marked ‘EMERGENCY’ in white lettering, a steel speaker box, and a solid blue light that caps the unit to insure the box is easily seen even during dark and foggy conditions. The speaker box rings directly to security.

The cost of all three units, excluding installation, power, and related fees, was $6,812.

“Funding came from Facilities; it is part of Facilities' project budget,” Yahyazadeh said. “In the future, we hope that as money becomes available, we will continue to install [emergency boxes] in other locations, as well.”

All upkeep costs and maintenance of the new units will also be funded by Facilities. According to Michael Abraham, Norwich chief of security and safety, no specific criminal events on campus triggered this new trend in security lighting upgrades. He said the underlying reason for acquiring the lights was to increase safety.

“They are emergency phones, in case someone is injured or in trouble,” Abraham said. “There is one by the steps in the upper student parking lot that leads up to the regional training center; there is one out on the road between the upper and student lower lots; and then there is one in the lower student lot toward the back.

“We have a very small university, and we have a lot of phones available to the students inside academic buildings in different places,” Abraham explained. “There have been a lot of universities that have been going to [these style phones], and we were just looking at places on the university campus itself where people would be in need of an emergency communications system. These are the most prominent places, in our minds.”

According to the US Department of Education’s Office of Post Secondary Education Campus Security Statistics Institution Detail, (http://ope.ed.gov/security/Search.asp), Norwich reported two forcible sex offenses, one robbery, one aggravated assault, and seven instances of burglary on campus to the department in 2002.

“These [phones] are necessity of running the campus. I am glad we could identify the funding to do this. Safety of any kind for our community of student, faculty, and staff, its the top priority for university,” said Yahyazadeh. “I am glad they are there. I hope we never have to use them.”

The Norwich Guidon is a twice-monthly student newspaper distributed at Norwich University. It provides laboratory experience for students in the Communications program. Claims asserted by letter writers, editorials and other articles do not represent the positions of Norwich University. The Norwich Guidon welcomes signed letters to the editor. They should be no longer than 300 words. Unsigned letters will not be printed, but names may be withheld upon worthy request. All letters are subject to editing for length and good taste. Mailing address: The Norwich Guidon, Communications Center, Norwich University, Northfield, VT 056632. www.norwich.edu/guidon. If you have any questions or comments about the paper, please contact Professor Ken Bush at kbush@norwich.edu.