By MEGAN GARNETT
Student Reporter
Power outages and plumbing issues are often frustrating, but when they occur in campus housing it can make those issues even more unbearable.
According to the Alva Review-Courier, a large area of Alva lost power August 18 after “a vehicle hit a guy wire cable supporting an electrical pole…[that] splintered and caught fire from electrical arcing.”
While inconvenient, loss of power isn’t normally a safety issue, said Alva firefighter Spencer Burns. “It’s the reason why the power is out that’s the safety issue,” Burns said. “Live wires laying across a road and power poles or transformers on fire are the real danger.”
Burns said that any time there is an outage, there can be a chance of sparks or fire that can be dangerous to the public. In such an event, he said, “Everyone is advised to call 911 and stay clear until told otherwise.”
Along with the rest of Alva, Northwestern Oklahoma State University has had its fair share of issues, electrical and otherwise.
Bethany Morphis, Brieanna McClure and Chandler Steckbeck all live in South Hall on Northwestern’s campus and have experienced similar problems.
McClure, a sophomore, said she has had several encounters with different plumbing issues since moving into the dorms. “Last year for example,” McClure said, “the water was turned off several times.”
Morphis said, “There have been issues with the water heater and the pressure…there have been days where you just can’t get anything to come out of the faucet.”
“When these issues arise, I can’t wash my dishes or my clothes,” she said. “I have to start conserving the water that I’ve filtered because I don’t want to spend the money and it’s irritating.”
Of the two issues, Morphis said she found losing electricity to be the bigger problem.
Steckbeck, a junior English major agreed that power surges were an unwelcome frustration she had faced while living on Northwestern’s campus. Steckbeck said the problem became the most disruptive during ITV classes.
Steckbeck said, “When the power surges or when it goes out, it’s disruptive as well as frustrating. Not only will you have to deal with the loss of power, but you will also have to deal with rebooting the system and waiting to reconnect to the other classes.”
She also spoke of a friend who “recently lost a refrigerator because of a power surge.”
To help offset electrical issues in the dorms, Morphis and Steckbeck both purchased surge protectors to keep their utilities and devices from being damaged.
McClure and Steckbeck also agreed that buying fans can help make dorm life more comfortable when the air conditioner doesn’t function correctly.
Morphis said, “Many students question why they invest in a housing situation that may or may not be functionally equipped.”
She said, “It forces them to decide whether they will need to add things like water and batteries to a budget that can barely accommodate textbooks.”
All three south hall residents agreed that despite the issues, they have all enjoyed their time at NWOSU and in their dorms.
Steckbeck stressed that she found the university “…has always made sure to work with students, faculty and staff to make sure everything is running well and that everyone has what the need when they need it, or as soon as possible.
“A lot of the issues that Northwestern faces are unpredictable,” Steckbeck said. “I think the university does a great job of communicating with students and getting information out so that they know what is going on.”