Yeshiva's newly beefed-up security, a result of the September 11th strikes on the World Trade Center, was tested in the early hours of Friday, October 19th, as an anthrax scare shook the Uptown Campus.
At approximately 9 A.M., a woman stumbled upon an envelope laced with an unknown substance on Laurel Hill Terrace near the park at 189th Street. The mysterious substance inside the envelope burned her hands, and she immediately notified police.
One of the earliest officers arriving at the scene handled the envelope, triggering a full-blown numbness in both his hands, though he was wearing precautionary gloves. Subsequently, the envelope was thrown into a Cushman Security vehicle owned by Yeshiva and was driven up to Amsterdam Avenue.
Emergency Services personnel in full Haz-Mat gear promptly responded to the police call, cordoning off the surrounding area. In the ensuing investigation, emergency personnel combed the vicinity for suspicious objects but discovered nothing else. Although a New York Police Department investigation is pending, the incident seems unrelated to the September 11th attacks and the anthrax scares plaguing the nation.
Indeed, Chief of University Security Donald Sommers was persistent in pointing out that this was not an anthrax scare. "A white, caustic paste was found in the envelope," averred Sommers. "Normal precautions were taken, including isolating the suspect item. A Haz-Mat team was called in because there was a material deemed to be hazardous, but it was definitely not anthrax."
Sommers did admit, however that the security guard driving the Cushman made an error when choosing to chauffeur the envelope up to Amsterdam from its discovered location. But Sommers was quick in pointing out that under the circumstances he approved of the manner in which Security dealt with the overall situation.
The Office of Safety and Security is not making any protocol changes in light of the recent scare, though Sommers wanted to inform students that Security is responding and adjusting "every hour, on the hour, to keep the campus safe and secure." He also mentioned that there is no specific threat to Yeshiva, and little reason for concern.
Likewise, University Dean of Students David Himber remarked that "all necessary precautions were taken" to control the incident on October 19th. He also concluded that Security handled the situation appropriately, and that Yeshiva is prepared for future incidents, should they occur.
Most students seem to be shrugging off the episode as nothing more than an isolated scare. "It was a little nerve-wracking at first, seeing Emergency Services on campus in full protective gear, but I'm pleased that they took precautionary measures even though it didn't end up being anything substantial," said Yeshiva College Sophomore Jacob Agatstein. "It makes you feel more comfortable knowing that Security and Police are on top of everything."
Similarly, YC junior Joshua Shapayher commented "The truth is, during normal times, something like this probably would have gone unnoticed. But now, with the heightened awareness and nervousness by everyone, every small thing is noticed."
Except for a little more vigilance, the Office of Security would like all students to continue with their normal lives. "The biggest thing is to keep the fear factor down, remain calm, use common sense and caution, and go about our daily lives," a top Security official suggested. "If we all live in fear," he finished, "then the terrorists are winning."