news
page 7 friday 9.10.2010
thebattalion
Death toll rises from Hermine flooding, authorities still searching SAN ANTONIO — The death toll from flooding caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine climbed Thursday after Texas authorities recovered the body of a missing swimmer and an Oklahoma driver drowned trying to cross a swollen creek. At least four people have died in Hermine-fueled flooding, and two other people were still missing. Authorities near San Antonio recovered the body of Derek Joel-Nelson Clemens, 23, who along with a friend was swept away while swimming in the Guadalupe River. Crews were searching for his friend Thursday but held dim hopes of finding his friend alive. Both went missing Wednesday as flash
Safety Continued from page 1
of the most obvious dangers for a college student on campus. “Students should be mindful about their personal safety and should never walk alone if they have concerns regarding their safety,” Baron said. “All students are encouraged to utilize the Corps of Cadet Escort Service, shuttle buses or friends to avoid walking alone.” The Texas A&M Transportation Services offers bus routes and schedules for both on- and off-campus for the majority of the day and late into the night. In the Escort Service, students can call the Corps of Cadets and request an escort to meet them anywhere on campus and accompany them to their chosen destination. The number for this service can be found on the back of the Student ID card. If students choose to walk alone at night, there are many tips to increase safety, Barron said. Students should only choose routes on busy or welllit streets and avoid short cuts across parking lots, alleys or dim-lit areas. These routes should be chosen even if they lengthen the commute time. If students feel like they are being followed, they should turn and go another way, preferably to a populated area. Effort is made on campus to improve visibility and safety at night, with lighted paths throughout campus and emergency telephone towers along major pedestrian paths. With such measures, many students feel relatively confident when alone at night. “I do feel safe, because I’m always on West Campus,” said Kayla Dickson, senior finance major. “If I’m on West Campus late, there are always people here. I don’t mind walking by myself, although I probably wouldn’t go strolling over by the Trigon — there are just not as many people over there, so I probably wouldn’t do that. I would probably stay away from parking garages, especially at night.” Parking lots and parking garages pose another threat to students on campus, as students are often forced to park far away from their classes or activities. “Always lock your vehicle and take the keys with you no matter where you are parking. This is a good practice to follow even when parking in your driveway and garage,” Baron said. “Be cautious when parking next to a van or other large vehicles.” Safe parking also includes using foresight to select proper parking spaces. “Park in a well-lighted area. If parking during the day and returning at night, check for street and building lights,” Baron said. Students should also be sure to hide valuables in the trunk to reduce the threat of theft. To assist students in their pursuit of safe habits, the University Police Department offers many programs to increase campus safety and awareness. Throughout the semester, UPD offers free property engraving for valuables such as bicycles and computers. “Students should also be aware that theft often occurs on the college campus,” Baron said. “Personal property should never be left unattended or unsecure. We recommend that students make or engrave their personal property with their driver’s license number and record the serial number.” UPD is also part of a campus effort to have Campus Safety Awareness Week this
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floods fueled by the storm hit parts of Texas before the rain moved into Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. The flooding has killed at least two motorists in Texas and others are still missing. In eastern Oklahoma, a 19-year-old man drowned after his vehicle was swept off the road early Thursday. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol said it’s unclear whether Jackie Warford was thrown from his vehicle or crawled out to try to swim to safety, but he became tangled in brush. Hermine packed a relatively light punch when it made landfall Monday night, and many Texas residents said they felt unprepared for Wednesday’s sudden flooding. It forced more than 100 high-
week. Throughout the week, various organizations offered presentations concerning topics such as emergency response, fire safety, medical preparedness and weather emergencies. On Tuesday through Friday, personal safety resource tables were set up in the Zone Plaza from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., offering students the chance to learn more specific methods to improve personal safety. Texas A&M students also have the opportunity to enroll in a self-defense class through the Department of Health and Kinesiology, which many stu-
water rescues, though not all were successful. More than a dozen rescuers tried to save a 49-year-old man Wednesday who apparently drove his pickup truck into a flooded crossing near Alvarado. His body was found hours later. Another person died in a vehicle submerged by water from a swollen creek near Austin, the National Weather Service said. Still missing Thursday was a man who drove into a flooded road near San Antonio after his wife — who was trailing in a separate car behind him — called and told him not to drive into the water, Bexar County spokeswoman Laura Jesse said. Associated Press
dents view as a method to learn specific techniques to avoid or escape dangerous situations. “Since I took self-defense, they told me that you shouldn’t be doing something that might cause you to be in trouble, like being by yourself at night or going out late,” said Alejandra Del Carmen, a junior business major. “I haven’t had any trouble on campus. I don’t feel unsafe on campus because there are lights on campus, and I usually go everywhere with someone, never by myself.” With the multitude of resources available for students, all
Aggies should be well-equipped to enter the new semester with a renewed sense of precaution and safe habits. “Texas A&M University has consistently recorded low crime rates and is considered a relatively safe campus,” Baron said. “All college students must be aware that criminal acts can and do occur on a college campus.” For more safety tips, students can visit the UPD website at upd. tamu.edu. The entire schedule for Campus Safety Awareness Week can be accessed at tamu. edu/emergency.
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9/9/10 8:31 PM