By Tori Templet | Staff Writer
The annual Sic ‘em for Safety event was held Thursday on Fountain Mall with activities, games and demonstrations. The Baylor Police Department partners with local services of Waco every year to connect with students and emphasize the importance of safety on campus.
This partnership with local services provides an opportunity for students to interact directly with the Waco Fire Department, Baylor Police Department and American Medical Response.
Lieutenant Kieth Guillory of the Waco Fire Department said the purpose of this event was to engage students with the community.
“Because we’re engaging the community, we are able to have those conversations as far as how to be safe on campus, how to properly use a fire extinguisher and how to prevent fires and injuries around campus,” Guillory said. “Be observant and be paying attention to the things around you and just make sure you are being safe from day to day.”
There were plenty of activities such as cornhole tournaments, free Kona Ice, fire extinguisher training and a mock residence hall fire demonstration. This allowed students to learn how to be prepared for possible events.
Pearland freshman Kristina Kelsick said she came to the event because she has family in law enforcement and emergency services. She took part in the firefighter challenge where students compete to see who’s the fastest at putting firefighter gear on, deploying a fire hose line and dragging a tire across the course.
“I wanted to see what it all really meant and get my own perspective on it,” Kelsick said. “I’ve learned that safety is important as a student at Baylor because we’re off on our own, and we’re in the real world. It’s important for us to learn about emergencies. Going through these activities can help me because the knowledge is something I can always have with me for the rest of my life, and I can pass it forward to others.”
This event helps build a foundation for relationships between Waco’s local services and students at Baylor.
Officer Scott Curry of the Baylor Police Department said they want to get out and socialize while also educating students with hands-on training.
“We want to let the students know that we are human too,” Curry said. “We put our pants on one leg at a time as everybody else does. Just because we’re in the uniform and driving around in police cars does not mean we are not approachable, so that’s why we want to be here.”
