Swift collaboration on ONU bomb threat praised

ADA — Officials at both Ohio Northern University and the Ada Police Department on Wednesday praised the collaboration between various agencies in the quick evacuation of the ONU campus following a Tuesday bomb threat. Ada police officers were dispatched to the ONU campus at around 1:55 p.m. following a reported bomb threat to the university, an Ada Police Department press release states. In a coordinated effort between university administrative staff, ONU Public Safety, and multiple area law enforcement agencies, the entire campus was evacuated and cleared as a precautionary measure. Following a thorough sweep of the grounds and facilities, the campus was deemed safe and officially reopened at 5:41 p.m. While it's hard to practice an evacuation, campus leadership and staff hold tabletop exercises to prepare for a number of possible emergency scenarios, said David Kielmeyer, executive director at ONU's Office of Marketing and Brand Strategy. He said the real thing "went as well as can be expected… Everybody remained calm, and did their part to get off campus." He noted that Ada High School offered a space for evacuees, and some students with off-campus housing opened up their homes to classmates who lived on campus. "We were particularly pleased with the support from local law enforcement, and their close coordination … In total, we had about a half-dozen agencies involved, and working together they were able to search and clear our 40-plus buildings in about three and a half hours," Kielmeyer said. The police department press release also notes that "the successful resolution of this incident was made possible through the rapid assistance of several partner agencies." Ada police expressed gratitude to the Hardin County Sheriff's Office, Kenton Police Department, Forest Police Department, Perry Township Police Department, Ohio Northern Public Safety and the West Central Regional Bomb Squad. Ada Police Chief Alec Cooper said in a Wednesday telephone interview that, while this call was different from most, one thing was similar: "We rely on our partnering agencies. We help them, they help us." Ada Police Department has eight full-time officers serving the village 24 hours a day, Cooper noted. Having to clear more than 40 buildings alone is "not feasible." But, he said, law enforcement agencies in rural Hardin County are accustomed to working together. "I'm very proud of, not just our agency, but the way the entire county came together," he said. Cooper said Ada Police often works closely with the Hardin County Sheriff's Office, but on Tuesday, other agencies came from across the county to help, along with the regional bomb squad, based in Allen County. Some Hardin County agencies responded without even being dispatched, Cooper said. "They just said, 'Ada needs help — we're going,'" he said. Cooper, too, said the police department has held tabletop exercises to prepare, and coordinates often with ONU to "talk about 'what if' events, just to keep in the forefront of people's minds that there could come a day." Kielmeyer said these conversations and practices tend to be more in the forefront than they once were. "I think everyone — universities included, and public spaces — are far more aware of the risks than we were 10 years ago," he said. Leadership at other campuses also are aware. In a statement, Owens Community College said, "The safety and well-being of our students, faculty and staff is always our top priority at Owens Community College. Through the Owens Department of Public Safety and strong partnerships with local law enforcement and emergency response agencies, Owens is committed to maintaining a safe and secure learning environment across our campuses." In an online post giving the all-clear on Tuesday, ONU also stated, "We understand situations like these can be stressful," sharing information about counseling resources for students, faculty and staff. Kielmeyer said Wednesday he wasn't certain how many had sought out those resources, but "in situations like these we always remind the community what resources are available."