Once upon a Thursday, the Russell Park apartment complex was evacuated by UC Davis Police. The next morning, the scene was considered safe, residents were allowed back and it was jolly good.
Best story ever, right?
That’s all based on the texts and corresponding emails the UC Davis Police sent out to students through the WarnMe system — one sent at 7:58 a.m. and another sent at 1:22 a.m. the next day.
But here’s what actually happened: Last Thursday, explosive materials were found in a Russell Park apartment belonging to UC Davis junior researcher and chemist David Snyder.
For 20 hours, Yolo County, Placer and El Dorado bomb squads; Sacramento police; the California Highway Patrol; the FBI; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were on hand to assist in the safe removal of the chemicals and explosive materials.
Um, so where was the message about the eight late-night detonations of material in a field west of campus?
It’s quite absurd that we weren’t notified of such an event, and it’s not just because we’re The Aggie. There were 20 hours in which a message could have been sent out. Maybe something like, “BTDubs, we’re going to be exploding some chemicals, so keep calm and carry on.”
Basically, all we’re trying to say is, it’d be great if the WarnMe system kept us up to speed, especially since exploding noises don’t sound particularly reassuring in a cute little town like Davis.
So, next time the world’s about to end, please warn us.
