Boston University is prepared to deal with terrorism emergencies and ‘general information’ about those plans is now available on BU’s website, Senior Vice President Richard Towle said yesterday in an e-mail sent to all BU students, faculty and staff.
The letter, which was sent yesterday morning, notifies community members on BU’s Charles River and Medical Campuses of websites to access and phone numbers to call in case of emergency.
‘The university places a high priority on public safety and has developed emergency response plans for both the Charles River Campus and the Boston University Medical Center,’ the e-mail read.
The e-mail also tells community members which radio and television stations to access for emergency information.
The e-mail was a response to a ‘number of individuals’ who have asked about BU’s ’emergency preparedness plans in light of the war in Iraq and the Orange/High Risk Level Advisory declared by the Office of Homeland Security.’
Websites to which the e-mail directs community members also highlight evacuation charts and maps, BU officials said.
‘Most large buildings already have [an evacuation system] which is part of the orientation for students, faculty and staff,’ BU Office of Health and Environmental Safety director Peter Schneider said last week.
He said officials had a meeting in March to update emergency plans.
Since the United States’ war with Iraq began, however, Boston University Police Department spokesman Sgt. Jack St. Hilaire said things at BUPD have remained essentially the same.
‘It has been business as usual,’ St. Hilaire said. ‘We met with Boston Police and shared intelligence information, but there was no threat to BU or the city of Boston.’
St. Hilaire said university officials, BUPD and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety had met a number of times to update their emergency plans since Sept. 11, 2001. He said in case of a level one, or red, alert from the Department of Homeland Security, the university, BUPD and Boston police would collaborate to increase personnel and security.
He said the exact plan of action was ‘sensitive information,’ but BU has a senior management team that makes final decisions about university security.
BUPD is also collaborating with Boston and New England Police to join a training program for domestic terrorism, through the Community Anti-Terrorism, or CAT, Eyes training institute.
‘It’s a program similar to the neighborhood crime watch,’ St. Hilaire said. ‘The departments attending will train their respective communities, like the Office of Residence Life, and eventually students, staff and faculty.’
According to St. Hilaire, the mission of the program is to increase community awareness about terrorism and ensure that people know what to look for. The program ‘shifts attention to terrorism,’ St. Hilaire said.
‘People see or hear things, but never notify the police,’ said St. Hilaire. ‘People don’t trust their instinct.’
He said that if anyone sees or hears anything suspicious, they should immediately call the police.
‘During the school year, anywhere at anytime, the total number of students, staff and faculty is 40,000 to 50,000,’ St. Hilaire said. ‘There are only 64 police officers at BU. Everyone is responsible for their safety. 50,000 people can see things that 64 people can’t.’