In an effort to increase students’ awareness about walking and biking near Commonwealth Avenue, and safety regarding fires, sexual assaults and alcohol, Boston University will be holding a safety week beginning today.
Several events will be held throughout the week, including fire-safety lessons, a response to the two deadly fires that killed three students and injured one last semester. For the firs time, the BU Police Department will also burn a model dorm room to demonstrate how quickly fire spreads, and fill a trailer with smoke to simulate a burning room, said BUPD officer Peter Shin.
“A lot of fire-safety things are for little kids,” said Laura De Veau, assistant director of student/staff development in the Office of Residence Life. “A teddy bear telling college kids not to use candles will not engage them.”
Staff will also address pedestrian safety, one week after two female BU students were hit by cars on Commonwealth Avenue in separate incidents on the same day. Coordinators say the pedestrian-safety lessons are not related to the incidents.
“What we can do is try and push messages forward, try and educate people as best as possible, just simply to give a couple of minutes or seconds of thought, so that you take a moment . . . to look before you get out of a car, take a moment to take that extra look as you are crossing the street,” said Dean of Students Kenneth Elmore.
Volunteers wearing yellow will monitor intersections during pedestrian and biker safety events on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, said Sean Pillai, assistant senior staff member in the Judicial Affairs Office.
“Comm. Ave. is not the safest place on Earth,” Pillai said. “You need to keep your head on a swivel.”
Although the construction along Commonwealth Avenue may be disruptive, it is intended to eventually foster safety from Kenmore Square to the BU Bridge, said Massachusetts Highway Department spokesman Erik Abell.
“Our overall goal is to allow vehicles, bike passengers and pedestrians to interact more safely,” Abell said. “Pedestrians need to be aware of multiple users of road, and abide by signage and signals when crossing the road.”
Alcohol and sex safety will be covered during Safety Week in lessons involving beer goggles, emergency-phone-number cards and a skit called “Equalogy” about sexual assaults, De Veau said.
The BUPD will measure the effectiveness of its alcohol awareness efforts by comparing the number of hospital transports this year to those made last year, Shin said.
“If it affects a few people, and they learn something from it, it will be an effective program,” he said.
De Veau said she wants students to be aware of the events around campus.
“I’m hoping every student on campus knows that this is happening, and after the week is over, they at least saw something and learned something,” she said.
Staff reporter Hannah McBride contributed reporting for this article.
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