8/27/12

St. Lawrence University Holding Campus Safety Fair

CANTON - Campus safety is a growing concern for students, parents and college officials. St. Lawrence University's Security and Safety department is starting off the academic year by holding an all-day Campus Safety Fair on Thursday, September 6.

The event includes a number of demonstrations that will show students what happens during an emergency. A smoke-filled room will be simulated - with "smoke" that is not harmful to breathe - to demonstrate how difficult it is to see and navigate during a fire. Police "beer goggles," which simulate impaired vision due to alcohol, will be used in a demonstration of impaired driving. Another demonstration will show the dangers of driving while texting. Both driving demonstrations will be supervised by security and safety personnel, using golf carts as vehicles.

The final demonstration of the day will feature a mock residence hall room - constructed by personnel in the University's facilities department - filled with furniture and placed on the Quad. Members of the Canton Fire Department will set the room on fire and then extinguish it, to demonstrate how quickly a fire spreads.

The event also features fire extinguisher training and a workshop on preventing workplace violence.