Campus Security Precautions During COVID-19:
Washington state continues to see an increase in COVID-19 cases, Spokane Falls Community College has to make extra precautions to keep the campus and students free from the surrounding pandemic as possible. The campus security department is encouraging and following through with expected orders given to prevent more spread. Even with the changes that help keep students home safe there are still students who need access to the campus. As other SFCC departments expect proper social distancing, facial masks, and staying sanitized; the security department also wants to maintain positive attitudes throughout the campus. Adding to this, the Lead Security Officer, Jovonna Dunbar, has shared “COVID, go away! We want our community members back on campus unrestricted! We miss you all!”, (Dunbar).
Reported Incidents in the Month of October:
As “unauthorized persons accessing the campus for non campus business”, (Dunbar), is noticed to be the most common incident by campus security, lately. Aside, there are 14 total reports made from October 1, 2020 to October 19, 2020 from the SFCC campus security. Ranging from alarm responses to noted suspicious activity occurring on campus grounds.
Alarm responses have been 33.3% of the incidents reported in the month of October alone. In particular, fire alarms, responsible for alerting students and staff of possible fires in the building. Now the tricky part is evacuating everyone from the building while trying to keep as much social distance as possible without putting anyone in danger of COVID-19 spread or in harm’s way of fire. As for many students, staying home this academic quarter is not a choice, so only arriving on campus when absolutely necessary will help limit the number of students in each building at certain periods of time. For if any reason a fire alarm goes off, evacuating can be simpler with some sort of distancing.
Available For All Security Needs:
Campus security is still available no matter the emergency during this year’s pandemic. Emergencies including safety escorts, vehicle jumpstarts, and vehicle unlocks are not the limits of their services. Safety is accessible throughout campus, as the Security team is often out and about conducting foot patrols, vehicle patrols, and responding to calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week. “We encourage everyone to engage with our team when you do see them out and about”, (Dunbar), states the Lead Security Officer. Engaging with the safety team will definitely help boost the positive attitudes shared on campus during these difficult times.
When needing the best way to contact Campus Security, contacting (509) 533-3333 is your best shot. Their office is located in building 16 (room 145) will also be a way to get a hold of them. Although, social distancing, face coverings, and a completed health check form online prior to entering campus is required. “We are seeing more and more people accessing the campus for non-campus business for extended periods of time” (Dunbar), so it is vital to come to campus only if absolutely necessary in order to keep everyone safe.