The addition of Light Emitting Diodes cruise lights, warning lights and a new PA system last week will help warn large numbers of students in times of danger, Harry Kinne, director of Safety and Security and College proctor, said.
"We want people that may be on campus for illegitimate reasons to know we're around; we want to be visible as a deterrent," Kinne said. "But we also want to be identifiable so that students who may need help can see us from a distance, even in the dark."
While lighting on security cars is a fixture at most universities, Safety and Security has only recently obtained lighting permits from the state of New Hampshire, Kinne said.
Hanover Police may flash their blue lights in times of emergency, but Safety and Security is limited to LED lights whose amber glow can be seen approximately 300 yards away, Kinne said. Hanover Police has not lodged any complaints about Safety and Secuity's new additions, according to Kinne.
"It's literally days old," Kinne said. "We are always looking for ways to be more visible on campus."
Kinne also said that the cruise lights would useful when picking students up for transport purposes.
In addition, Safety and Security vehicles will be equipped with an even brighter set of warning lights, which will be used to warn students about dangerous situations, such as hurricanes. These warning lights will also be used to warn drivers of roadblocks ahead.
"Certainly in light of all the campus tragedies, adding to the ability for mass notification was a plus," Kinne said.
The new lights are just one component of Dartmouth's mass notification system which includes the college website and mass e-mails, according to Kinne.
Safety and Security was inspired to add the new lights after the successful replacement of old Safety and Security cars with new, more easily identifiable vehicles, Kinne said. They received a lot of positive feedback for the new cars, according to Kinne, and the next step was to increase visibility in the evening hours.
The LED lights are ideal for the vehicles' small size, Kinne said, because they are bright and energy efficient.
"Sometimes the low-technology solutions are some of the best," Kinne said.
The campus response thus far has been encouraging.
"People are noticing them, which is good," Kinne said. "After all, we are here for the Dartmouth community."
