2008 Woodie Awards
Speakers to be added for safety in dorms
Everton Bailey, Staff Writer
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: News
In an effort to further enhance emergency communication services offered by the University, public address speakers will be installed on the Queens Campus.
Joining other services, such as emergency emails and text and voice messaging, the new P.A. system will broadcast audio messages, providing the St. John's community with information and instructions in the event of an on-campus crisis.
According to Thomas Lawrence, vice president of public safety, the speakers are slated to be installed in the Residence Village first and then are planned to be put in the hallways of all the buildings on campus.
Exterior speakers are also planned to be set up in areas where there are high amounts of activity.
He hopes to have the Queens campus equipped with the system by the end of March.
"I feel the use of a public address system will be a viable tool to reach a substantial population of our community on campus in the event of an emergency," Lawrence said.
"Being that the Residence Village is occupied 24/7 and has close to 3,000 occupants at any time…I felt that this should be the first location outfitted with the Public Address system."
The Public Safety vice president says plans to use a P.A. system originated in June 2007 during a meeting among University officials to review St. John's emergency response plan.
He also said that messages from the speakers will mainly be given from the command center in the public safety office, but the system will also have the capability of "being activated from a remote location."
The speakers, which will vary in size depending on location, will be used for only emergencies and access to the system will only be given to members of Public Safety and other identified University affiliates, Lawrence added.
The Queens campus will not be the only place where the P.A. system will be implemented.
Lawrence mentioned that off-campus facilities, such as
the Bartilucci Center and the Seton Complex, are planned to be outfitted with speakers as well as buildings on the Manhattan and Staten Island campuses.
Joining other services, such as emergency emails and text and voice messaging, the new P.A. system will broadcast audio messages, providing the St. John's community with information and instructions in the event of an on-campus crisis.
According to Thomas Lawrence, vice president of public safety, the speakers are slated to be installed in the Residence Village first and then are planned to be put in the hallways of all the buildings on campus.
Exterior speakers are also planned to be set up in areas where there are high amounts of activity.
He hopes to have the Queens campus equipped with the system by the end of March.
"I feel the use of a public address system will be a viable tool to reach a substantial population of our community on campus in the event of an emergency," Lawrence said.
"Being that the Residence Village is occupied 24/7 and has close to 3,000 occupants at any time…I felt that this should be the first location outfitted with the Public Address system."
The Public Safety vice president says plans to use a P.A. system originated in June 2007 during a meeting among University officials to review St. John's emergency response plan.
He also said that messages from the speakers will mainly be given from the command center in the public safety office, but the system will also have the capability of "being activated from a remote location."
The speakers, which will vary in size depending on location, will be used for only emergencies and access to the system will only be given to members of Public Safety and other identified University affiliates, Lawrence added.
The Queens campus will not be the only place where the P.A. system will be implemented.
Lawrence mentioned that off-campus facilities, such as
the Bartilucci Center and the Seton Complex, are planned to be outfitted with speakers as well as buildings on the Manhattan and Staten Island campuses.
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