East Lansing and MSU are working together to promote public safety for this weekend’s rivalry home game against University of Michigan and the weekend’s Halloween festivities.
Annette Irwin, housing and university relations administrator for the city, said the city and university are preparing for a busy weekend.
“It’s the Michigan game, and the last time Michigan played here it was a very, very busy night,” Irwin said. “The biggest issue two years ago that we’re hoping to not repeat is there were a lot of medic runs.”
East Lansing Police Department Lt. Scott Wriggelsworth said the police are staffing extra officers at the game and at night.
He said they plan to have an extra 15 officers on duty and four to six mounted Ingham County police will be available. The department will also draw from MSU police if necessary.
“We know this home football weekend is one of the biggest weekends we have,” Wriggelsworth said. “Add Halloween weekend into that, this will probably be the biggest weekend we have in the entire year.”
East Lansing Fire Department Chief Randy Talifarro said although they don’t have the exact numbers worked out yet, they have two ambulances and plan to have an additional two available on Saturday depending on how many people they can staff for the weekend.
“The biggest issue on this type of weekend is people and alcohol,” Wriggelsworth said. “We always see that that is a bad mix, especially when people start tailgating at 7:30. Some people after the game won’t go home, so there’s going to be some people there that have been drinking from 7 a.m. to 2, 3, 4 a.m. — almost the entire day.”
The city and MSU work together on public safety issues through the Celebrations Committee, which consists of 60 university officials and representatives, and city businesses and agencies such as the police and fire departments. They focus on public safety messages and strategies before celebratory events, using tabletop messages and outreach to community members.
Dennis Martell, health education services coordinator for MSU, said the main message they are sending out for this weekend is to stay with friends.
“It’s been proven that if you stay with your friends, you’re less likely to get involved in harmful consequences,” Martell said. “That’s the number one protective thing a student can do.”
According to the 2015 MSU Fall Celebration Survey, 83 percent of students reported watching out for friends to make sure they’re safe while tailgating and 65 percent report the same behavior at Halloween festivities.
Irwin said the committee wants to further encourage staying with friends at Halloween parties.
“Halloween is one of those weekends that for whatever reason, people don’t stick together like the commonly do,” Irwin said. “I’m not sure why. ... We want to stress that all the same rules apply. Stay with who you know, keep track of what you’re drinking.”
