Linda Wilkins
Assistant City Editor
Though turmoil erupted at several college campuses today following a string of bomb threats, Baylor University officials say Baylor’s campus is secure.
Lori Fogleman, director of media communications, said Friday that emergency protocols are being followed.
“We are most certainly aware of the situation at the University of Texas at Austin and North Dakota State University,” Fogleman said. “Senior leadership at Baylor has met and all related university offices have been advised of the situation. We have verified that the Baylor campus is secure and all emergency processes and protocols are in place. Everything that could be done on our campus in response to this news has been done.”
North Dakota State University and Valparaiso University in Indiana also experienced bomb threats today. Officials are not certain if the three threats are connected.
Fogleman said the university will be watching out for its students.
“We remain ever vigilant about campus security and we stand by to assist our colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin in any way we can,” she said.
In emergency situations, Baylor relies on a National Incident Management System (NIMS) to help coordinate emergency procedures with local, county, state, regional and national emergency management officials, Fogleman said.
“We’ve developed a robust and thorough crisis management plan and set protocols in place should we need to resond to a threat or occurrence,” Fogleman said.
All university personel have been trained in the system and in the crisis management plan, which is practiced every summer. Baylor has employed outside experts in emergency management to ensure Baylor officials are prepared to react.
Concord, N.H. junior Shannon Blankenbecker said she feels safe on Baylor campus, even after hearing how close to Baylor the threat was.
“I feel really safe. I know that should anything happen here, I know Baylor would have a quick response and would not question anything. I feel very comfortable here,” Blankenbecker said.
Blankenbecker said she knows the threat must have been stressful for the students and faculty at the University of Texas at Austin.
“My heart goes out to them and my thoughts and prayers go out to them,” she said.
Hyperlinks:
https://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/09/14/university-of-texas-emergency-threat-evacatuion/70000347/1#.UFN0pI6AdhM
https://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/09/14/161144787/university-of-texas-evacuates-austin-campus-because-of-threats
