Vannesa Oceguera
Staff Writer
University of La Verne faculty and students discussed emergency preparedness and safety procedures for active assailants Monday in the Campus Center Ballroom.
Presentations examined the history of assailant crimes, certain patterns, what can be learned from these crimes and how to prepare for an active assailant situation.
Junior child development major Frances Viste said she felt more prepared after the presentation.
“I haven’t been in a situation where I needed to be prepared, but I have definitely thought about calling Campus Safety a couple of times,” Viste said.
Dean of Student Affairs Loretta Rahmani said the motto to remember in an emergency is “Get Out, Hide Out and Take Out.”
If there is a threat or assailant, students are urged to get away and get out of the building or location. If there is no exits available, students are encouraged to hide and barricade the door with heavy objects. In the worst case scenario, students may need to fight back.
Jim Miyashiro, senior director of university safety operations, explained the difference in campus lockdown procedures.
Miyashiro said everyone should know where the Campus Safety office is located.
The office is currently located in the Athletics Pavilion but will move to the first floor of the parking structure when it is completed in August.
Miyashiro encouraged the audience sign up for the E2 Campus Emergency Alert system that can be accessed through the MyLaVerne portal.
“That allows us not only to send a text mail, it allows for email notification and voicemail to your telephone,” Miyashiro said. “Regardless of what it is, even if it’s in the surrounding area, we will send out some type of alert to you of activity going on so you can be aware of it.”
Miyashiro said another great resource is the Live Safe mobile app.
The app provides phone numbers for the La Verne Police Department, Campus Safety and escort programs that can be used to track a friend walking home alone.
“The LiveSafe app is actually an app that was developed by a Virginia Tech survivor in collaboration with the FBI,” Juan Regalado, associate dean of students said. “They evaluated student culture, and what do students tend to rely mostly on for communications? They rely on smart phones and texting devices.”
Laptops were set up in the back of room for the students to sign up for the alert system right after the presentation.
Vanessa Oceguera can be reached at vanessa.oceguera@laverne.edu.
Vanessa Oceguera