Happy New Year!
On New Year’s day, I had the good fortune of attending the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif. Being that Campus Safety magazine regularly covers event security, I was keenly aware of the precautions, both visible and covert, that parade organizers and law enforcement officials had taken to make sure the Tournament of Roses went off without a hitch.
Tell Us About the Heroes on Your Campus
Security measures included rapid response teams along the parade route, dozens of video surveillance cameras, bomb-sniffing dogs and radiation-detection devices. I too was on high alert, being ready to say something if I saw something.
And what did I actually see? Thousands of people peacefully enjoying the festivities. After the parade when I got the chance to view the floats up close, again, no one got into any fights. There were no terrorist bombings or mass shootings. Despite the huge crowds, everyone was happily viewing, in a somewhat orderly way, the beautifully decorated parade vehicles.
I’m writing about my experience at the Rose Parade because those of us in security and law enforcement are accustomed to dealing with (or in my case reporting on) the small fraction of people who do bad things. Yes, there are people who commit murder, sexual assault and other terrible acts, but those individuals represent a very small minority of our society. What didn’t happen at the Tournament of Roses is a good reminder of this fact. It’s also a testament to the security preparations made by parade organizers and law enforcement.
It’s time we focus on and give credit to folks who are doing the right thing when it comes to safety and security. That’s why Campus Safety has created our Heroes program honoring those individuals in our campus communities who do something big or small to keep their hospital, school or institution of higher education safe and secure.
Anyone can be a hero, including security officers, teachers, nurses, parents, grandparents, students, police officers, administrators, vendors, visitors, custodians, secretaries, doctors, emergency managers, grounds keepers, superintendents, college presidents and even hospital CEOs. We’re opening up this program to everyone because everyone on campus can help make the world we live in happier and healthier.
Also, because we know there are a lot of heroes in our campus communities, we’re going to acknowledge these winners on a monthly basis.
To nominate a hero on your campus, email Campus Safety at [email protected] and tell us why he or she deserves to be recognized for making their healthcare or educational facility more safe and secure. Your letter should be one or two pages in length. Please also include your nominee’s photo, if possible.
Campus Safety heroes will be featured in the pages of Campus Safety magazine and on CampusSafetyMagazine.com.
There are so many people in our hospitals, schools and universities making a difference every day. Help Campus Safety magazine give them the recognition they deserve!
