Greater than half of WVU’s blue lights out of service | Investigations

Haley Jones is one in all many potential college students who have been informed about WVU’s blue mild emergency name system final 12 months whereas touring campus.

Throughout her tour, Jones and her household seen numerous the blue lights have been damaged. She mentioned her tour information assured the lights could be fastened and operational by the point she returned as a freshman.

“My dad was simply actually anxious about me going to school usually,” Jones mentioned. “He was extra okay with me coming due to all the security measures that they put in place.”

However now, as Jones and 1000’s of different freshmen start their first week of lessons, greater than half of the blue lights throughout campus are out of service.

The Every day Athenaeum spoke with over a dozen different freshmen who say they have been additionally informed in regards to the blue lights whereas touring WVU within the final 12 months.

A majority of the blue lights, which the DA investigated throughout WVU’s Morgantown campuses, have been wrapped in warning tape and had lacking components or damaged lights.

Final fall, the DA reported an identical subject, noticing that numerous the blue lights have been out of service. Nonetheless, the College mentioned that they had no plans to discontinue the system and that the wanted repairs occurred throughout College Police’s routine month-to-month inspections.

April Kaull, government director of communications, confirmed Monday that over half of the 30 blue lights on campus are both in want of restore or unable for use as a consequence of a discontinued community. She mentioned repairing items has been troublesome as a consequence of provide chain points brought on by the pandemic.

She added that UPD is within the strategy of changing the warning tape on the lights with signage directing college students to name 911, in addition to use the LiveSafe app. The College has inspired use of the cellular app in its place since 2014. 

Kaull mentioned the College will work with scholar teams like SGA sooner or later to find out whether or not the blue lights ought to nonetheless be a useful resource on campus.

“We’ve seen utilization of the blue mild name packing containers steadily lower in recent times because the variety of college students, school, employees and campus guests with private cell phones has elevated,” Kaull mentioned. “Since 2019, there have been fewer than 10 reputable emergencies or security issues communicated by means of the WVU Emergency Name System.”

There are at the moment 14,000 LiveSafe customers at WVU, in accordance with Kaull.

In the present day, maps of blue lights round campus aren’t obtainable.

“I imply, we nonetheless suggest them,” College Police Chief Sherry St. Clair mentioned, including that she’s desirous about studying what college students would like. “They’re nonetheless there. We haven’t haven’t executed something with them.”

Madison Moonen, a third-year orientation chief and scholar, mentioned that she is inspired to promote the blue lights to new and potential college students when she conducts excursions, including that she was by no means knowledgeable they might now not be a useful resource.

Although orientation leaders aren’t given a script for the blue lights, Moonen mentioned throughout their coaching they take part in a brainstorming session to give you assets they might promote based mostly on their private experiences.

In accordance with Moonen, the emergency name methods are at all times inspired throughout coaching and infrequently marketed to college students.

“That’s like one of many largest issues that I deliver up like at any time when I get requested about security on campus,” she mentioned.

Moonen mentioned the admissions workplace, which works immediately with orientation leaders, is sweet about updating them about adjustments on campus; nonetheless, she wasn’t conscious of the out-of-service blue lights till she noticed a current tweet from a former scholar.

hey @WestVirginiaU , why is it welcome week and so most of the emergency poles are down? pic.twitter.com/anjtTYNttF

— woman from tw!tter (@liviaox4) August 13, 2022

“Often with issues altering on a regular basis, they at all times be sure to provide us updates on like ‘oh hey, keep in mind to say this modified’ or like, , that type of stuff to the place if one thing adjustments or isn’t being supplied, they normally tell us,” mentioned Moonen, including that she was shocked to see so many name packing containers out of service on Twitter.

Kaull mentioned the College recommends college students, school and employees to observe @WVUalert and @WVUsafety on Twitter and WVU Security and Wellness on Fb for updates on campus security.