Many Plattsburgh State students have late evening classes. However, being out late at night can create added danger that students must take seriously. Crimes can occur at all times of the day.
Therefore, some self-defense products can be useful.
The BASU ealarm is a small device that emits a loud noise when you pull a pin. It is portable, and students can fit it with their keys or hang it on their backpacks.
Every student can buy a BASU ealarm on Amazon for $8 and on BASU.com for $16. The device is available in personal choice of five colors. It is the size of a flash drive. There are two main pieces on the device: the main housing that holds the batteries and the loud alarm with a plug in the top.
How the alarm works is when someone is in danger or getsin trouble, he or she can yank the alarm free of the plug. It will make loud noise to scare people and attract attention. In order to keep it silent, a person can simply put the plug back in.
“I personally think the device is a good thing for college students,” junior human development and family relations major Stephanie Izquierdo said. “Imagine walking alone at night. Someone comes up behind you; you can use the device for self-defense reason.”
Izquierdo is living off-campus. For this reason, she feels unsafe walking home by herself late in the evening.
“I would definitely purchase the device,” she said. “It would be very helpful for college students like me.”
Every student should be careful when venturing out at night on campus, especially when he or she is alone.
“I think the loud noise is much likely to scare somebody by attracting attention,” senior computer science Steven Mills said. “If people are walking around campus after 10 p.m. There is nobody around, and the police are limited, so the device is good for people if anything happens.”
He also suggested students should be aware of the surroundings when they are out late at night. Mills encourages everybody to go with somebody else.
“Try to stick with a group,” he said. “Do not try to cut through yards or other ways because it might be more dangerous.”
On the other hand, the chief of PSUC university police, Jerry Lottie recommended students should make good decisions and be cautious about safe practices, which are the most beneficial for personal safety besides relying on an external device.
“I think one of the issues is when we forget about our personal safety, when we are not thinking about what we are doing in regards to ask how it is going to affect our personal safety whether that be walking alone at night, leaving our personal properties around or even just going down the hall and leaving the room door open,” he said.
If students are on campus and might be afraid of getting from one place to another place, Lottie said they should call University Police for assistance at (518) 564-2022. He also said it is important to know the emergency phone around campus thwat rings directly to the UP.
“Be alert for safety on campus,” Lottie said. “We need everybody’s help, University Police needs your help.”
Email Hilly Nguyen at fuse@cardinalpointsonline.com
