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In an instant, a text message can save lives. As part of Safety Week, PCC will introduce a new service that will use text messaging to notify students of emergencies on campus.From Nov. 13-16, Police and Safety Services, and the Office of Student Affairs will host Personal Safety week going over many of the issues that have come up after the Virginia Tech massacre, including notifying students of danger on campus through text messaging.

“We’re trying to gather 20 students to participate in a nighttime safety walk. Students will be walking around campus and will be pointing out locations that they feel are not secure,” said Vice President for Student Affairs Joshua L. Acevedo. The nighttime walk will highlight isolated parts of the campus for students and campus cadets to be aware of.

“We’re also going to be talking about a new text messaging warning system,” he added. Since almost everyone has a cell phone, the new system, AlertU, will inform students when an emergency occurs on campus through text messages.

The emergency SMS or short message service company approached Police Chief Peter Michael about implementing the system for PCC – it is a service that students can register for on their phones or online at AlertU.org.

Michael feels that this system and a stance on safety by PCC is long overdue. He has been pushing for a more aggressive policy. With AlertU a dispatcher can send out a message to students when an emergency occurs on campus, saving precious moments.

Other highlights of the four-day safety week will be the simulations taking place Nov. 14 in the quad from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Campus police with JPL will be simulating techniques for urban search and rescue in case of a natural disaster, which will demonstrate how to move heavy objects. And for the first time, PCC will be simulating an emergency operations center.

“This type of command center or System in Motion (SIM) has been used by police and firefighters for years,” said Michael. With an all-encompassing mentality being put to work, Michael hopes that faculty members will volunteer to help with the simulation of a natural disaster.

Living in California, the focus on earthquake preparedness is another topic that will be touched on. Dean of Natural Sciences Dave Douglass will be covering earthquakes.

“Most people who live in California are familiar with earthquakes,” said Douglass.

“With each new earthquake, standards are raised, currently some of the older buildings are being retrofitted to current standards,” said Douglass.

Also speaking during Safety Week will be a representative from the U.S. Geological Survey.
In addition to all the big concerns will be Lt. John Rodriguez going over the most common theft among college students: bike safety.

“I’ll have a bike rack on display and several locks that have been broken into on campus,” said Rodriguez.

With all the safety precautions going around, the concern among students is mixed.

“It’s an open campus, it’s an open area,” said Leah Arenas, 20, “It’s kind of safe with different buildings, but anywhere you go, it doesn’t matter what kind of campus you’re in, it’s just the risk you take.”

Other students, like Edison Caba, 19, feel like “nothing’s really happened so far.”

“With security around here, I guess we’re just safe. I used to be here late at night. It was empty and I hardly saw people, but I’d see one or two guards, so I felt O.K.,” he said.

Text PCC to 253788 and reply Y to sign up or visit www.alertu.org/pcc. Register by Nov. 14 a chance to win an Apple iPod.

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