By Katrenia Busch
UNIVERSITY CENTER- As the new school year approaches and students prepare to return, safety tips and strategies are among the top concerns and priorities.
One of the best things a student can do for any emergency preparation is to be aware of their surroundings and to have a plan, according to Delta College’s Director of Public Safety, Robert Battinkoff.
Delta College encourages a Run, Hide, Fight response to any active assailant situation. That means that anyone has the option to escape from the threat, barricade themselves into a safe location, and fight an assailant in a last resort situation, Battinkoff said.
“I encourage students to be aware of exits and other avenues of escape, such as windows. Look for areas that could offer security, such as classrooms or offices that can be locked and that have few windows or good hiding places,” Battinkoff stated.
Safety Tips
- Never walk alone
- Cell phones down, look up
- Carry some form of protection like pepper spray
- Take a self-defense class
- Read and know your school’s safety policies and resources
Delta College offers an escort service by providing the dispatcher at the public safety office with your name, location, and vehicle description.
Reducing Acts of Violence
One of the most proactive measures students can take is to report any suspicious, concerning, or problematic behavior to Campus Police as soon as possible.
Almost all active assailant situations in schools had some pre-incident indicators or warnings, Battinkoff said.
Behavior can be reported directly to Campus Police or may be reported by submitting an online incident report under the “Report an Incident tab” available under Student Tools on your Portal page.
Safety Resources
One resource that is available through the Delta College Counseling Center.
Licensed Counselors are available to students free of charge.
“We offer mental health counseling for currently enrolled Delta students free of charge. Students can meet with a counselor for ten sessions,” Delta Counseling, Melanie Dancer MA, LPC, CGP said. “We also work with students to find resources in the community. Counseling topics include relationship issues, grief and loss, test anxiety, depression, and self-care. We also offer a variety of Student Success Workshops.”
A full description of the services available and how to access them is located on the Delta Counseling Services webpage.
Safety Services
Some of the security and safety services Delta offers are:
- Alerts sign up
- Car Problems
- First Aid
- Lost and found
- Prescription drug drop-off
- Student ID
- Unlock a classroom
- Vehicle escort
Students can visit the main Safety page at delta by clicking here.
To report a crime or an emergency on campus, contact the Delta College Department of Public Safety in N102 or call 989-686-9111.
Students can also sign up for Nixle, an email service that the College offers to provide notice of emergencies on and around Campus.
Anyone can also report information or concerns anonymously by submitting a silent witness form.
Students can also sign up by texting DELTAEMG to 888777 or online on the Delta Public Safety webpage.
