Security Beat: Less Mischief, More Fires

Campus has been much quieter these past two weeks in terms of student mischief, but fire safety-related issues seem more prevalent than usual.

Source: Matt Chesin, Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/q40XEHz-MLs

On Feb. 5, there was a generator fire at the Payne Estate during the ice storm. The Payne Estate, located in Esopus, New York, was acquired by Marist College as a gift from Raymond A. Rich. The very next day, on Feb. 6, there was a fire in Ward Hall after a student overloaded a dryer. There was also a fire in Upper West on Feb. 12 after students were cooking in an oven that had not been properly cleaned. Fortunately, no one was hurt in any of these incidents. There is no update on the cause of the fire in the Fulton townhouse, which was previously reported.

On Feb. 2, there was an instance of criminal mischief in which a window was broken in Midrise. A fake identification was confiscated on Feb. 8. An Off-White hoodie, priced at $650, was taken from a dryer in Lower West on Feb. 11. Also, on Feb. 11, there were two reports of drug violations relating to marijuana, one in Upper Fulton and the other in Champagnat. There has been some destruction in Marian; on Feb. 14, an exit sign was broken, and on Feb. 15, there was damage to a bathroom in which shower curtains were torn down, and soap dispensers were taken off of the walls. 

In terms of parking, several students are finding their vehicles booted. Director of Security John Blaisdell attributes this to lack of decals on vehicles, which are required for students and staff, and general disregard for parking in the correct lot. One point of confusion for students seems to be the Fontaine lot. To clarify, both commuter and resident students are prohibited from parking in the designated staff-only spots at any point in time but can utilize the remaining portion of the lot. 

As the semester continues, it is important for students to save the Security Office number to report suspicious activity or call for help in cases of emergency: (845) 471-1822.