University responds quickly to potential disasters

A suspicious package found near the Richter Center Tuesday caused a stir among members of the Bonaventure community. Within minutes, though, Bonaventure authorities and local police responded to the irregularity, and the situation was quickly under control.
University officials should be applauded for their swift reaction and their ability to control short-term danger on campus.
Notice-Board updates alerted students, faculty and staff of the situation via e-mail. Residence assistants evacuated residence halls near the Richter Center in a timely manner. Members of the Cattaraugus County Sheriff's Department entered the scene alongside campus security. Everything went smoothly and seemingly according to protocol.

Over the last few years, there have been emergencies ranging from power outages to fires. Officials on campus have done a good job taking care of these potential tragedies. No one has been seriously injured, and that's due in part to an ability to handle precarious circumstances.

Thankfully, the university has utilized its existing infrastructure for notifying students as quickly and efficiently as possible during past emergencies. Although this has been successful, steps still need to be taken to ensure that students and faculty are notified should the unforeseeable happen.

Developing a text-message alert system or phone chain could improve notification and communication during an emergency.