When I stepped out of my building this afternoon I found the street cordoned off with yellow hazard tape and crowded with police cars, fire trucks and assorted other emergency vehicles, including a big red truck with the words "BOMB SQUAD" emblazoned on it.
Dozens of fire fighters were standing around the entrance to the President's office but they didn't seem very tense or anxious. I wandered absentmindedly through this scene feeling somewhat out of place but focused on the simultaneous goals of reaching my car and finishing the paper I was reading. (Yes, I read while walking. Yes, I bump into things.) Once past the building, I heard someone yelling, "Fire in the hole!" followed by a really loud bang. Apparently they blew up a mailbox, into which some joker had dumped a bag of super balls -- a "suspicious package."
There was no message on the university emergency response network telling me to stay in my office, or to leave the building by a different door, despite the fact that this little drama took several hours to unfold. The tour groups of freshman and their parents, however, were conspicuous by their absence.
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
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8 comments:
Man, now I really want to detonate a box of superballs to see how far they go.
Forget the bomb squad, AP. I have a practical question: Have you managed to find a way to read when you drive? If so, can you please explain your methods?
Thanks,
Another Reader
Something similar happened 10 years ago or so at the University of Iowa. The five most prominent buildings on campus (including the former capital bldg. from Iowa's old territorial days, the campus natural history museum, and the principal admin bldg.) are grouped pretty close to one another in the middle of a big green. One day a bomb threat was phoned in (I don't remember the threat details). They evacuated the admin bldg. but gave no notice whatsoever to the occupants of other 4 bldgs., which contained entire departments and classrooms full of students.
Nice to know how highly campus admin think of the faculty & staff. [eye roll] Sheesh.
I just figured out how to be a terrorist in the United States. No bombs are required, no guns are required, nothing that is the least bit dangerous is required.
All you need is an empty box left in the right place to trigger the authorities. Do this often enough and you will bankrupt the government.
The super balls were a nice touch.
Wow, that's... special.
On a vaguely related note, I've developed the ability to not only read while walking, but to do crossword puzzles. (Okay, yes, I have to slow down a little while I'm actually writing the letters.) How's that for nerdery?
WV: fiscies -- n. pl. fish skilled in economics and finance.
The bomb squad in the nearest Moderately Sized City has never, ever misses a chance to blow up a "suspicious package" since 9/11/01. Unattended bookbags, briefcases, boxes left by UPS on the doorstep...
Something similar just happened today on my campus, UC Davis. Somebody robbed someone with a gun and got away.
I got a text this morning about it and another this afternoon with an up. I was happy for the FYI.
But I'm sitting here in Starbucks listening to ungrads call the messages spam and wanting to know how to get off the list.
I laughing knowing that if something happened and no one had tell them they'd be asking how to sue.
Anyway, the situation made me think of this post.
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