ESU Bomb was a false alarm, but alert system gets a workout
By Russ Morgan (Contact)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
What started as a suspicious bag outside ESU’s Memorial Union ended with the recovery of an abandoned book bag.
According to a press release from the university, a witness called and reported a suspicious package outside the west door of the Union. Emporia police and ESU police and safety were notified, and access to the building and to Union Square were closed. In addition, the university got a chance to try its new RAVE text and e-mail notification system to warn students of the potential danger.
“The safety of our students and staff is our foremost concern,” said ESU president Michael Lane, “and we have turned over our investigation of the incident to authorities with expertise in handling potentially explosive devices.”
The Topeka police department sent two officers, K. Miller and A. Finney, along with a bomb squad robot, to determine and eliminate the threat. The area was cordoned off and students were kept at a safe distance.
“We don’t know what it is yet, but we’re going to treat it as if it were the real thing,” said Chris Hoover, public service executive for ESU police and safety. “We’ve done what’s appropriate, because if it is the real thing we want to make sure to minimize the risk to anyone.”
Students crowded around outside the perimeter to watch as the Topeka officers maneuvered the robot to the package. Once it was determined the bag was not a threat, the officers carried it back to their truck.
This was the first time the university has used its RAVE alert system. “It’s still new, so not many have signed up yet, but we’re still trying to get those numbers up,” Lane said. “And we set off our horn that tells people to go to the Web site, and we got press releases out quickly, and if all else fails we have our old calling chain. Campus police and Emporia police officers did a great job of clearing the area quickly and did the initial investigation and decided it was suspicious enough not to do anything with it and to let the professionals handle it.
“We determined that no one was in imminent danger as soon as we were aware of the threat, so that’s the important thing.”
gnogal (anonymous) says...
thanks to ESU for prompt notifications
September 10, 2008 at 8:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
socialmancan (anonymous) says...
Yes, great job ESU! The notifications on the ESU website were posted quickly and were very informative. Thank you for displaying the information promptly and accurately!
September 10, 2008 at 9:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
toofast (anonymous) says...
How paranoid do you have to be that a lost bookbag, on a college campus, is reason for this kind of action?
September 11, 2008 at 8:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mythoughts (anonymous) says...
Um, I can't turn in my homework today because the bomb squad took it...
That robot was pretty cool, eh?
September 11, 2008 at 9:06 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Chiefster (anonymous) says...
I don't know what your definition of "quick" is, but it was 45 minutes from the time the union was evacuated, until the warning whistle and the text message went out. A LOT can happen in 45 minutes, especially in a situation like this. And where were the city cops? I saw the captain of the campus police, but that was it. No other law enforcement present.
September 11, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
With the anniversary of 9/11 on everyone's minds, I don't think they overreacted. Better safe than sorry. At least they didn't just blow up someones books. Whomever left their bag must be really embarassed right now.
I wasn't there so don't know how quickly they reacted. Just because you don't see cops doesn't mean they aren't there. They may have been in the Union checking that it was cleared or in contact with the Topeka PD to see when the bomb squad would arrive. Considering that this is not a routine thing, I think they probably did a good job.
September 11, 2008 at 9:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dhcc66 (anonymous) says...
why would the city cops be on campus? it's esu's place and it's their event. if they called them, then i'm sure they were there even if you didn't see them.
next, if somebody can't figure out who owns a backpack on campus, would you rather have some poor guy blown to bits by opening it up if it is a bomb? don't EVER let your guard down just because you go to a smaller university. ask any VTech student if they thought they could have been a target and i'll bet they would have said "not before that incident".
September 11, 2008 at 10:39 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
kitty93 (anonymous) says...
i wonder if people living around campus can get the rave thingy too... it would effect them as well...
I remember one time i left my backpack accidentally at EMS... wonder what would've happened to it if that had happened after VTech...
September 11, 2008 at 10:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
This close to 9-11, we can't be too quick to criticize authorities for acting on an abandoned backpack. After all backpacks are so common, they become perfect hiding places for devices meant to kill. We've seen it before.
"A bomb hidden in a back pack at the park sent nails and screws through a crowd during the 1996 Atlanta Games, killing one woman and wounding 111 other people."
CBC News
September 11, 2008 at 1:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
slipandslide (anonymous) says...
so... was the backpack returned to its owner?
September 11, 2008 at 3:27 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bnance (anonymous) says...
The Emporia Police Department was involved in this incident yesterday. They called the Topeka Bomb Squad and they had officers on scene. I hope that helps to clear up your questions.
Brandy Nance
Reporter
The Emporia Gazette
September 11, 2008 at 4:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bjnemp (anonymous) says...
Yeah, Toofast: good point. "How paranoid do you have to be" to fear some guy on an airplane trying to light the sole of his shoe with a match? Or some guy getting on a jetliner carrying a little ol' box cutter? Or a book bag being left on a bench during the Olympics? Or a Ryder truck being left parked in front of a federal building?
Do the words terrorist, Al Qaeda, Jihad, Hezbollah, or "Infidel pigs" mean anything to you? We may still be in Kansas, Toto, but the world around us has changed forever.
My daughter attends ESU and lives in a sorority house one block from where this abandoned book bag was found. Paranoid? She is my only child. I don't care if it took all night to check that bag and involved the National Guard, Fort Riley, and the ATF to ensure the safety of those students. Better safe than sorry never meant as much as it does in today's unstable and dangerous world.
My thanks to ESU, EPD and TPD for their quick response, caution, and efforts.
September 17, 2008 at 11:15 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )