We are on our way (yeah right)

Have you ever been in this situation?

"Hello, is this public safety?"

"Yes it is We'll be there in five minutes."

Twenty minutes later you are still waiting for them to come. Did you ever wonder what they do to cause them to take so long?

What if it was a real emergency?

Wo~ld the public really be safe?

Another part of their job is to be accommodating to Cabrini and its visitors when needed. However, I have yet to see this happen. For example, on Thursday, Jan. 30, 1997, at approximately 7:30 p.m. a man in a wheelchair needed to get up to the gym to watch a Cabrini basketball game and asked me if I knew where to get an elevator key for the Sacred Heart elevators.

I immediately went to a phone and called public safety, you know, the people who drive around in that white van the wrong way on a one-way street.

A male voice answered my call and I explained to him that a handicapped man needed the elevator key to get upstairs. I received the typical response, "Someone will be there in a few minutes."

Fifteen minutes later, we were still waiting! I then escorted the physically-handicapped man up the ramps that connect Sacred Heart and Widener buildings.

I told him that this was the scenic route to the gym. He chuckled and said he was glad I showed him the ramps because he did not want to have to depend on anyone to come back downstairs.

I was relieved that he made that remark because public safety is hardly a group to depend on.

After I led this friendly man to the gym, he thanked me and I apologized for the inconvenience public safety had caused him. He wheeled himself into the gym and I ran downstairs expecting public safety to be there, however, the hallway was completely empty.

I called public safety back and told them that I escorted the physically-challenged man by myself, by the ramps.

They responded shortly, "Oh, OK fine (click)." I did not receive any explanation that it was now 20 minutes later and they still were not here!

When I think back on that night, I ask myself questions like: Why did it take so long for them to respond just as it did for them to take 20 minutes to come to House two when the residents were swimming for the door in October when the flood occurred?

Was there only one security guard on duty? Are they really looking out for our safety and protection?

Kristi Theis, Sophomore