Spring Break
Emergency alert isn't an excuse to come running
The Daily Barometer Editorial Board
Issue date: 4/2/09 Section: Forum
Tuesday morning, the OSU community received an e-mail, or a text message if registered with the OSU Emergency Alert system, with the news that the Corvallis Police Department, Oregon State Police and a SWAT team were at 25th and Harrison, as a "barricaded subject" was held up in his residence.
"For your personal safety, please avoid this area until further notice," read the e-mail.
Sounds pretty obvious. Dangerous person, don't go.
However, not everyone thought this way. As reported yesterday in The Daily Barometer, a crowd of between 50 and 100 people as well as news crews gathered at the scene after receiving the messages, presumably hoping to see something ridiculous happen to the subject, Nathan M. Lenahan.
We can see why reporters were at the scene. They were there to report the news to the public, and they understand that they are putting themselves in a dangerous situation. They flat-out needed to be there.
But what about everyone else, the students and other community members who just heard about the situation? Not at all.
Here's an idea, in case we are unfortunate to encounter a situation such as this in the future: When you get an emergency text and e-mail informing you about a dangerous situation near campus, don't come running.
A crowd isn't good for the people in control of the situation, meaning the police officers. It's hindering the people who are trying to do their jobs. You're putting everyone in danger - yourself, other observers and the officers.
Cops, fire fighters and SWAT team members have families and understand that they are putting themselves in danger. An obnoxious crowd could distract them from doing their jobs and saving lives.
Also, the danger of the situation hadn't been assessed at the time of the messages. The building hadn't been cleared. No one knew that he didn't have explosives in his basement. No one knew if he could disable the officers at the scene and come into the streets.
The messages didn't say, "Come see something cool!" They read, "For your personal safety," and that has some weight. Not to be dramatic, but someone could have been killed.
We are only two years past the Virginia Tech shootings. Did we forget that we don't have control over our safety and that our lives can be in jeopardy within moments?
Lucky for us, no one was hurt, and as reported in our story, Lenahan is currently in the Benton County Corrections Facility.
It's best to leave the crime fighting up to the experts.
Editorials serve as a platform for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale and diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board majority. Disagree? E-mail a letter to the editor or guest column to editor@dailybarometer.com.
"For your personal safety, please avoid this area until further notice," read the e-mail.
Sounds pretty obvious. Dangerous person, don't go.
However, not everyone thought this way. As reported yesterday in The Daily Barometer, a crowd of between 50 and 100 people as well as news crews gathered at the scene after receiving the messages, presumably hoping to see something ridiculous happen to the subject, Nathan M. Lenahan.
We can see why reporters were at the scene. They were there to report the news to the public, and they understand that they are putting themselves in a dangerous situation. They flat-out needed to be there.
But what about everyone else, the students and other community members who just heard about the situation? Not at all.
Here's an idea, in case we are unfortunate to encounter a situation such as this in the future: When you get an emergency text and e-mail informing you about a dangerous situation near campus, don't come running.
A crowd isn't good for the people in control of the situation, meaning the police officers. It's hindering the people who are trying to do their jobs. You're putting everyone in danger - yourself, other observers and the officers.
Cops, fire fighters and SWAT team members have families and understand that they are putting themselves in danger. An obnoxious crowd could distract them from doing their jobs and saving lives.
Also, the danger of the situation hadn't been assessed at the time of the messages. The building hadn't been cleared. No one knew that he didn't have explosives in his basement. No one knew if he could disable the officers at the scene and come into the streets.
The messages didn't say, "Come see something cool!" They read, "For your personal safety," and that has some weight. Not to be dramatic, but someone could have been killed.
We are only two years past the Virginia Tech shootings. Did we forget that we don't have control over our safety and that our lives can be in jeopardy within moments?
Lucky for us, no one was hurt, and as reported in our story, Lenahan is currently in the Benton County Corrections Facility.
It's best to leave the crime fighting up to the experts.
Editorials serve as a platform for Barometer editors to offer commentary and opinions on issues both global and local, grand in scale and diminutive. The views expressed here are a reflection of the editorial board majority. Disagree? E-mail a letter to the editor or guest column to editor@dailybarometer.com.
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