VOLUME 2, ISSUE 3
NOVEMBER, 2009
Special Points of Interest:
If you see something suspicious,
report it to Otterbein Security or the
proper law enforcement agency as
soon as possible.
Pair up with a friend or call Security
for an escort if you’re not comfort-
able walking across campus at night.
Inside This Issue:
Director’s Note
Holiday Shopping Safety
Winterize Your Car
Silent Witness
Snow Emergency Levels
Meet Security
General Security Info
Otterbein College Security
194 West Main Street
Westerville, OH 43081
(614) 823-1222
security@otterbein.edu
Visit our website at:
http://www.otterbein.edu/security/
Cardinal Safety Newsletter
Otterbein College Security Department
Director’s Note
The recent tragic event at Fort Hood, Texas,
and the associated loss of life, is another
reminder that each of us has an individual
responsibility and stake in our personal
safety and the safety of those dear to us.
The greatest nation in the world is also one
of the most violent. Is any place in America
safe? We’ve all seen the headlines report-
ing shootings in our streets, homes, busi-
nesses, schools, even in churches and nurs-
ing homes. I suppose a shooting at a mili-
tary installation should not be shocking at
this point. What is shocking is the persis-
tent attitude of some who claim, “It will
never happen to me” or “it will never hap-
pen here.” Google campus or workplace
shootings and look at the frequency of
shootings in the schools and workplace.
Not too long ago, I heard an FBI agent say
that more people have been killed in school
shootings in our country over the past 25
years than were killed in fire or tornado inci-
dents combined. It is interesting to note
that most of us know what to do in the event
Holiday Shopping Safety
Shopping at the malls can be fun. Make
1
sure to follow the below safety tips to
insure it is also safe.
Protect Shopping Bags: Never let any-
1 one else “watch” your bags while you
are shopping – always keep your bags
in eyesight.
2 Gift Card Safety: Only buy gift cards
from reputable retailers, not through
3
online auction sites.
Keep Receipts: Keep original receipts
for every gift purchased and ask for a
3 gift receipt to give to the recipient.
Educate Children. Teach kids what to
3
do if you get separated by instructing
your child to look for a security guard,
police officer, or go to the customer ser-
3 vice desk where people are trained to
help. Also make sure that your children
know what to do if approached by a
stranger while shopping.
Store Credit Card Information at Home:
Make sure you have your credit card
customer service phone numbers, ac-
count number and PIN written down at
home in case you lose a credit card
while shopping or you misplace your
Sign up for Red Alert Emergency Notifications at
http://redalert.otterbein.edu
of a fire alarm or tornado
warning, but few have a
plan to survive an active
shooter encounter. Bury-
ing our heads in the sand
doesn’t cut it anymore.
School shootings have hap-
pened in the past, and it’s
a good bet they will continue to occur in the
future.
A visit to our web site will reveal that the Se-
curity Department offers a “Response to
Campus Shooter Program” designed to pro-
vide survival options if confronted with a
shooter on or off-campus. We also instruct
self defense training geared toward surviving
the most violent personal attacks, as well as
other safety awareness programs. Please
take advantage of these important training
opportunities. Several scheduled courses
are listed on page 3 of this Newsletter. You
can view all the presentations we offer at our
web site under the Crime Prevention link.
purse or wallet.
Stay Alert: Even though you are rushed
and thinking about a thousand things,
pay attention to your surroundings.
Auto Safety: Keep doors locked and win-
dows closed when leaving your vehicle.
Remember to turn off lights and take
your keys. Store packages, electronics,
and other important items in the trunk of
a vehicle. Leaving them visible inside the
car is an invitation for someone to break
in.
Be Careful With Your Cash: If you prefer
to pay with cash, never bring out the en-
tire stash from your wallet. It’s best to
count your money discreetly out of sight
from others. Also, consider bringing only
what you might need for the shopping
trip.
Park close to your destination: If you
know it's going to be dark when you re-
turn to your car, try to park under a street
light and always take the most brightly lit
path to and from your car.
Be Vigilant: If you see something suspi-
cious, report it to store personnel, mall
security or your local police department.
Volume 2, Issue 3
Preparation for Winter Driving - Winterize Your Car
Driving in the winter means
snow, sleet and ice that can
lead to slower traffic, hazard-
ous road conditions, hot tem-
pers and unforeseen dan-
gers. To help you make it
safely through winter, here
are some suggestions from
the National Safety Council to
make sure that you and your
vehicle are prepared.
Weather
At any temperature -- 20°
Fahrenheit below zero or 90°
Fahrenheit above -- weather
affects road and driving con-
ditions and can pose serious
problems. It is important to
monitor forecasts on the
Web, radio, TV, cable
weather channel, or in the
daily papers.
Your Car
Prepare your car for winter.
Start with a checkup that in-
cludes:
Checking the ignition,
brakes, wiring, hoses and
fan belts.
Changing and adjusting
the spark plugs.
Checking the air, fuel and
emission filters, and the
PCV valve.
Inspecting the distributor.
Checking the battery.
Visit our website at:
http://www.otterbein.edu/security/
Cardinal Safety Newsletter
Checking the tires for air,
sidewall wear and tread
depth.
Checking antifreeze levels
and the freeze line.
Your car should have a
tune-up (check the
owner's manual for the
recommended interval) to
ensure better gas mile-
age, quicker starts and
faster response on pick-
up and passing power.
Necessary Equipment
An emergency situation on
the road can arise at any
time and you must be pre-
pared. In addition to making
sure you have the tune-up, a
full tank of gas, and fresh
anti-freeze, you should carry
the following items in your
trunk:
Properly inflated spare
tire, wheel wrench and
tripod-type jack
Shovel
Jumper cables
Tow and tire chains
Bag of salt or cat litter
Tool kit
Road flares
Essential Supplies
Be prepared with a "survival
kit" that should always re-
main in the car. Replenish
after use. Essential supplies
include:
Working flashlight and ex-
tra batteries
Reflective triangles and
brightly-colored cloth
Compass
Sign up for Red Alert Emergency Notifications at
http://redalert.otterbein.edu
Page 2
First aid kit
Exterior windshield cleaner
Ice scraper and snow brush
Wooden stick matches in a
waterproof container
Scissors and string/cord
Non-perishable, high-energy
foods like unsalted canned
nuts, dried fruits, and hard
candy.
In addition, if you are driving
long distances under cold,
snowy, and icy conditions, you
should also carry supplies to
keep you warm such as heavy
woolen mittens, socks, a cap
and blankets.
If You Become Stranded...
Do not leave your car unless
you know exactly where you
are, how far it is to possible
help, and are certain you will
improve your situation.
To attract attention, light two
flares and place one at each
end of the car a safe distance
away. Hang a brightly col-
ored cloth from your an-
tenna.
If you are sure the car's ex-
haust pipe is not blocked, run
the engine and heater for
about 10 minutes every hour
or so depending upon the
amount of gas in the tank.
To protect yourself from
frostbite and hypothermia
use the woolen items and
blankets to keep warm.
Keep at least one window
open slightly. Heavy snow
and ice can seal a car shut.
Eat hard candy to keep your
mouth moist.
Volume 2, Issue 3
Silent Witness Program—See something, say something
Silent Witness is a completely
anonymous medium for individuals
to provide information to the Secu-
rity Department of crimes that have
occurred on our campus or touched
the lives of the Otterbein commu-
nity.
When crimes occur that affect our
community, several things can be
said with absolute certainty:
As our college is a tight-knit
community, it is almost certain that
someone has either seen the event
take place or know of someone who
did.
There is a good likelihood that
someone has heard, seen or know
something which leads them to be-
lieve that they know what happened
and who was involved.
Meet Security
Jenni Hunter is the Security Department.’s
Administrative Assistant.
She is the smiling face that
greets visitors to the Secu-
rity Department, and han-
dles many of the secretar-
ial/administrative duties in
the office. You are proba-
bly familiar with her name
from the informative e-mails
she forwards, and if you’ve ever stopped
by Security you’re sure to have been as-
sisted by her.
Jenni has literally been around Otterbein
all her life as she grew up on Lincoln
Street; playing hide-and-seek in the sta-
dium, running her dogs around campus
and playing in the high jump pits. Prior to
coming to the Security Department in
March of 2008, Jenni worked 2 years in HR
Software Sales, and for 6 years as Admin-
istrative Assistant for the Westerville Fire
Dept.
Jenni, her husband (a Westerville Fire
EMT) and children reside in Westerville.
Visit our website at:
http://www.otterbein.edu/security/
Cardinal Safety Newsletter Page 3
Snow Emergency Levels
Someone wishes to provide Se- Ohio Sheriff's have the authority to
curity with information but does close roads due to severe weather.
not wish to be identified as the The policy is as follows:
party providing the information.
Level I SNOW ALERT: Roadways are
To this end, a completely anony- hazardous with blowing and drifting
mous method of contacting the Se- snow.
curity Department has been pro-
vided. Go to the Security Depart- Level II SNOW ADVISORY: Roadways
ment’s web site (http:// are hazardous with blowing and drift-
www.otterbein.edu/resources/ ing snow. Only those who feel it is
security/security.asp) and click on necessary to drive should be out on
the Silent Witness link. The Silent the roadways. Contact your employer
Witness web page will provide you to see if you should report to work.
with information on the program
and enable you to anonymously Level III SNOW EMERGENCY: All Mu-
send information to Security. Your e nicipal, Township, County, and State
-mail can not be traced back to you. roadways are closed to Non-
emergency personnel. No one should
Whether you saw, heard, or heard be out during these conditions unless
about it, you may be able to assist in it is absolutely necessary to travel.
resolving Campus crime issues by Those traveling on the roadways may
providing useful information. subject themselves to arrest.
General Security Information
Cardinal Red Alert: If you have not already done so, please sign up today for
the Cardinal Red Alert FREE emergency notification system by following the
link at the bottom of this page. In the event of an emergency or class cancella-
tion, you will receive an email, text message and phone call advising you of the
situation.
Citation Appeals: All appeals of citations must be completed within three busi-
ness days of the issuance of the citation. Appeals forms are available at the
Security Department. All appeals are heard within one to two weeks by the
traffic council which is made up of representatives from campus (one faculty
member, one student and one administrative staff member, not including Se-
curity). You will be notified of the traffic council’s decision shortly thereafter.
Crime Prevention Classes: The Security Department offers educational pro-
grams designed to improve and enhance your knowledge of crime and per-
sonal safety. Prior registration is required, email jhunter@otterbein.edu to
register. Current scheduled courses:
Personal Protection for Women: Jan. 12, 6P-10P, Rike Dance Studio
Active Shooter Response: Nov. 18, 7P-8:30P, Towers 110
Jan. 13, 6P-7:30P, Roush 114
Jan. 21, 6P-7:30P, Roush 114
Sign up for Red Alert Emergency Notifications at
http://redalert.otterbein.edu