It's Only A Test, Take Two
After the second test of Virginia Commonwealth University's new emergency sirens Wednesday, most students said they could definitely hear it this time around. During the college's first test in September, many students, passersby and others said they barely heard the sirens or thought they were an ambulance.
Since then, VCU added eight new sirens -- five on the Monroe Park campus and three on the MCV campus -- some of which rotate and echo as they wail. Each siren cost between $12,000 and $15,000 each.
The sirens as well as emergency notifications via text messages, email and LCD screens throughout the school were initiated this summer as part of several measures by the school in response to the Virginia Tech shootings in April.
Overheard on Wednesday:
"I was under whelmed. It was loud when it was (pointed) toward me. But I guess when it was rotating; it was not enough to get me into a panic. It was good, not great."
-- Nick Wittkofski , sophomore in the crafts department of VCU's art school.
"It's a beautiful noise."
-- Jennifer Jimenez , sophomore.
"It wasn't really loud. I think it's a good thing, but it needs to be a little bit louder. I thought it was a fire truck going by."
-- Kandice Alexander , freshman studying forensic science.
"It was loud at one point. It was louder than the first time they did it. But when I was inside the building, it sounded just like a fire truck. I still don't know if people would recognize it."
-- Kiara Wiatt , freshman studying criminal justice.
"Security for us is an ongoing issue. So far, (the test) went as designed. I'm pleased it was more audible. It's the loudest commercial siren available."
-- John Bennett , VCU senior vice president for finance and administration
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