Courtney Barr
Story 1, 449 words
Campus, 2/5/19 – Student Government
On Jan. 28, the Indiana Wesleyan University Student Body Government addressed safety concerns regarding the need for automated external defibrillators, commonly known as AED’s, in residential dorms as well as a new safe ride app.
Safety was a big discussion topic of the meeting. When the meeting developed into open floor, the Academic Senator of the Health and Human Performance Division, Christine O’Leary, brought up the safety issue of not having readily accessible AED’s in residential halls. It was brought to O’Leary’s attention after an IWU student observed that the issue could arise and there are no emergency protocols for these traumatic events in every residential hall.
The Executive Vice President, Jacob Schroer, wrote down the idea of having AED’s in every residential hall will be discussing the idea with the board.
“The idea of AED’s getting approved could take months to weeks depending on the urgency of the situation” O’Leary said.
In emergency situations, the nearest AED’s are in the Barnes Student Center, Chapel, OTT Hall, Burns Hall, Troyer, Philippi Performing Art Center, Police cruisers, and the Recreational and Wellness Center.
“I only know of two locations where AED’s are located on campus, both in the Recreational and Wellness Center and Barnes Student Center” Indiana Wesleyan Student Rachel Goepper said. “There should be an AED in at least every single resident hall even on every single floor of the residential halls” Goepper said.
If AED’s were to be set up in every residential hall, then the process could take even longer to initiate, since IWU would have to also adequately train residential staff in using this new safety equipment. Senior Representative Briana Westover said, “I think the idea of having an AED in every residential hall would be great, but I know that they would have to train all the staff on how to use an AED.”
Another safety issue discussed was Campus Police’s safe ride policy. It came to the student government’s attention that safe ride’s transportation can take up to an hour before someone is picked up. Student government is working with campus police to create an app that allows students to check-in via their mobile device. The app will make it easier for safe ride to be attentive and organized.
“Safe ride could be more efficient by using an app,” IWU Student Rebecca Stahler said. “I called safe ride at 12:00 a.m. and got their voicemail saying they were open until 12:30 a.m. I called them four more times and got the same response” Stahler said. She was not able to get transported by safe ride that night. “Safe ride has failed us” she said.
