With the recent carbon monoxide poisoning at Virginia Tech that left 21 students unresponsive at an off-campus apartment complex, questions were raised about Nicholls’ own campus safety and ability to prevent such accidents on campus.
University Police Chief Craig Jaccuzzo said there has been no hazardous material or gas exposure reported in the three and a half years he has been at Nicholls, but urges students to call the station if they suspect there is one.
Thibodaux Police Department’s website says no gas leaks have been reported either.
“If you smell a foreign smell, its better to be safe than sorry,” Jaccuzzo said.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, toxic gas that is impossible to see, taste or smell and “can kill you before you are aware it is in your home.”
Symptoms of exposure include dizziness, nausea, headaches, fatigue and disorientation, which can vary greatly depending on age, overall health and length and concentration of exposure, according to EPA.
Michael Davis, assistant vice president of administration, said campus apartments and dorms are not required to have carbon monoxide detectors but are normally equipped with smoke detectors. He said he is not aware of any plans to upgrade detectors or alarms, but the new resident halls slated to begin in 2008 will come equipped with “new and good” smoke detectors.
Jaccuzzo suggests students should purchase a carbon monoxide detector for their apartments to be on the safe side. Local stores have them for sale around $45.
As for other safety, Jaccuzzo and Davis both praised two relatively new projects on campus that aide in campus safety and awareness.
Jaccuzzo said the police department is actively working with the university to have a generic response system to do things in case of an emergency, including tornadoes, hostage situation, active shooters, bomb threats, hurricanes and even gas leaks. He said the crisis plan would be easy and simple, such as a horn blast with an announcement of the situation and a place to assemble.
Davis said the 35 call boxes added last year on campus, including the walking track, can easily be seen at night and can aid students with emergencies.
“If you turn around in a circle, you’ll see four or five call boxes,” Davis said. “They are state of the art and when activated, you can speak with dispatchers and an officer in the unit at the same time. This way an officer can begin to head to your location while you are still talking with a dispatcher.”
He said there is also an external loud speaker to use as a notification system. He said he believes these call boxes create a “tremendous sense of safety to the campus.”
Logan Milano, a freshman from Gonzales, said one reason he feels safe living on campus is the availability of the call boxes. He said they make him feel better about running at night.