The Gatepost Editorial: FSU needs emergency response supplies on hand

By The Gatepost Editorial Board

Framingham State is a place half our students call home during the academic year. 

​Unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond the control of the average student, employee, or administrator, incidents can occur on campus that are unexpected and cause the day-to-day life of students to come to a halt - incidents like the small fire in room 671 of Corinne Hall Towers, which occurred in November. 

​Due to an electrical malfunction in a student’s room, residents of Towers were awoken in the early hours of Nov. 12 to the sound of fire alarms. Most students evacuated the building promptly. 

​Thankfully, no one was injured, all emergency response equipment performed as expected, and the fire was quickly snuffed out by the building's sprinkler system. 

​Additionally, top members of the University’s executive staff, including President Nancy Niemi; Meg Nowak Borrego, vice president of Student Affairs; Robert Totino, vice president of Finance, Technology, and Administration; and Ryan Hacker, associate vice president of Facilities and Capital Planning; Glenn Cochran, assistant vice president of Student Affairs; Stephanie Crane, director of Residence Life, and Deputy Chief Martin Laughlin, arrived on campus to assess damage and support students throughout the night. 

Early that morning, Dan Magazu, executive director of Marketing & Communications, released a statement on behalf of Niemi and Nowak Borrego. 

​The statement read, “In moments like this, we are reminded of the strength and compassion that define the FSU community. We take care of one another - through challenges big and small - and it’s that sense of unity and care that makes our campus such a special place to call home.” 

​By taking action to support students in the wake of this troubling event, members of the executive staff showed our community the power of unity and taking care of one another. The Gatepost Editorial Board thanks the executive staff members for their response that evening. 

However, it is also pertinent to acknowledge there is always room to improve our emergency response preparations. 

​On the night of the fire, students were exposed to the near-freezing temperatures of a November evening while evacuating Towers and awaiting instructions from Residence Life staff before being granted temporary access to Hemenway Hall. 

​Most students departed Towers quickly, leaving with only the clothes on their backs - most likely pajamas - their cell phones, IDs, and wallets. 

​Given the harshness of the New England climate, the University should consider purchasing items to have on hand to keep students warm in the event of late night evacuations such as this. 

​Accidents happen - students should anticipate they may need to evacuate a residence hall for an unexpected reason - but the University should try to make these uncomfortable experiences tolerable by having supplies on hand to support them. 

A supply of blankets could be kept somewhere on campus, either in the hands of the Framingham State Police, who are the first to respond when an incident like this occurs, or in each Residence Hall, to accommodate students who may be impacted by an emergency evacuation. 

Mylar Thermal Blankets are inexpensive, space efficient, and can be disposed of after they are used. The University should invest in a supply.

​Rain ponchos would also be useful should an emergency occur during inclement weather. 

Being exposed to either cold or wet conditions could cause students to become ill, especially if they are outside in wet clothes for an extended period of time. 

Ponchos could also be used for outdoor events. They could also be branded with an image of Sam the Ram or the FSU Logo so they could be handed out at sporting events or other gatherings during inclement weather. 

In the event of an emergency evacuation that takes place outside the normal business hours of the University, small items should be kept in storage by the University such as granola bars, Gatorade, water bottles, and first-aid kits to assist in keeping students feeling comfortable as emergency response crews take action. 

​On the night of the fire, some students were unable to retrieve items from the building until later in the day. These items may have facilitated a more comfortable stay in Linsley. 

While the Rams Resource Center is open during the day for students to access bedding and toiletries, if students are relocated late at night, they should be brought to the Center to grab anything they urgently need. 

​After the fire department departed campus, and the damage to Towers was surveyed, students who lived on floors that were not impacted reoccupied the building with strict instructions to remain on their designated floors for the remainder of the evening.

​If a student did live on one of the impacted floors, they were relocated to Linsley Hall while repairs were made to Towers. 

​FSU is fortunate to have a “spare” residence hall not occupied by students during the academic year. However, with the ongoing updates to Linsley Hall, which will turn it into affordable housing, the University won’t have this luxury for much longer. 

Where does the University intend to house students should another incident like this happen once Linsley is unavailable? 

The University should consider keeping rooms open in the residence halls in preparation for an emergency so long as this does not bar students who wish to live on campus from doing so.

There should also be a designated area for students to gather should the need arise during an emergency.

If an emergency occurs in one of the residence halls on the northern side of campus, Hemenway Hall should be a designated meeting spot to have all impacted parties in a central location, to ensure everyone is accounted for and in a safe, temperature-controlled environment. 

The McCarthy Center is a central building on campus, and a short walk from Peirce, Horace Mann, and West halls and should be used for the same purpose. 

And students: if you hear a fire alarm - whether it be a drill or an actual emergency - depart your building as quickly as possible. 

The Gatepost Editorial Board is alarmed to know that some students do not evacuate their residence halls during fire drills. If you don’t do it then, will you do it if there is an emergency?

​What matters most is you - your safety on campus. Items can be replaced, residence halls can be reoccupied, but no member of the FSU Community should be put in harm's way by not following evacuation orders.