Purdue News
Purdue News
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April 2, 2002 Campus Safety Task Force's Awareness Day set for April 4WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – In the wake of recent national emergencies, Purdue University Campus Safety Awareness Day on Thursday (4/4) will demonstrate the importance of being prepared and will detail emergency preparations already in place. The event, sponsored and coordinated by members of the Campus Safety Task Force, will showcase safety and security personnel and services from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Memorial Mall. Area law enforcement, fire and safety department representatives will be on hand to demonstrate safety equipment and conduct mock accident demonstrations. Costumed characters will be on the mall for children's activities, which include collecting fingerprints and DNA samples. Campus safety groups, as well as student, staff and faculty groups also will be represented. The rain date is Friday (4/5). "After 9/11, it is more evident that we all need to take an active role in community safety," said Matt Newton, a senior in electrical and computer engineering from Vernon Hills, Ill., who chairs this year's Campus Safety Task Force event as Purdue student body vice president. "Awareness day activities are aimed at informing the Purdue community about local services and raising general safety awareness," he said. "There is something for every age group from children to faculty and staff. Animated characters such as McGruff the Crime Dog, Sparky the Fire Dog and Vince and Larry, the crash test dummies, will be on hand to educate and entertain the children." Newton encouraged faculty and staff to bring their children during their lunch hour. In addition to fingerprinting, parents also can receive DNA kits for their children. A swab of a child's saliva is taken and then given to parents who can keep the sample along with identification information to be used in the event of a child's unexplained disappearance. Four major rescue and safety demonstrations are tentatively scheduled: a mock car crash will take place at 1:15 p.m., a K-9 dog bomb and drug search demonstration will be at 2:20 p.m., a fire and rescue from Stewart Center will be enacted at 3:20 p.m.; and a smoke house demonstration will be held throughout the day. The smoke house is a smoke-filled trailer used to teach the correct way to evacuate a burning house. The task force committee was founded in 1989 to unite students, staff and faculty to look at safety concerns on campus, said Ron Fosnaugh, captain of special services for Purdue University Police Department. "The task force routinely checks lighting on campus, ensures the emergency telephone system is functional and discusses recent campus safety concerns," he said. "This event is being conducted to provide members of the community with information about all its safety resources." Participating in presentations and demonstrations are representatives of the Indiana Excise Police, the Indiana State Police, Lafayette City Police Department, West Lafayette Police Department and SWAT Team, Purdue Police Department, the Law Enforcement Division of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Tippecanoe County Sheriff's Department, the Tippecanoe County Bomb Squad, Tippecanoe County Emergency Management Association, Tippecanoe County Fire Association, Lafayette City Fire Department, West Lafayette City Fire Department and Purdue University Fire Department. Also on hand with information, presentations and representatives will be: the Physical Facilities Safety Committee, CityBus, the Center for the Advancement of Transportation Safety, the Interfraternity Purdue Off Campus Student Coalition, the Minority Health Coalition of Tippecanoe County, the Office of the Dean of Students, the High Voltage Safety Committee, Panhellenic Association, the Purdue Administrative-Professional Staff Advisory Committee, Purdue Student Government, the Purdue Clerical-Service Staff Advisory Committee, the Purdue Student Security Patrol, Radiological and Environmental Management, the Rape Aggression Defense group, Students Against Drunk Driving, the Student Wellness Office and the Women's Resource Center. Writer: Grant Flora, (765) 494-2073, gflora@purdue.edu Source: Ron Fosnaugh, (765) 494-8221, rjfosnaugh@purdue.edu Related Web site: Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
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