Sara Tiradossi/Winonan

Homecoming at Winona State University is a time to enjoy festivities and show Warrior pride, but for local officials, safety comes first.

During homecoming week, the fire department is highly involved in trying to keep the community and college campus as safe as it is through the rest of the year.

Curt Bittle from the Winona Fire Department said homecoming is a busy time of the year.

“During homecoming week Winona has additional traffic, and the fire department has to deal with a lot of car accidents,” Bittle said. “We receive many medical calls, and most of them are car related.”

Bittle also cautioned students who want to celebrate by consuming alcohol.

“Drink responsibly. Homecoming is an exciting event for the community, and on behalf of the fire department, we do our best to keep the town safe,” Bittle said.

Bittle said everyone in the community should know the fire department assists in any way possible and provides immediate service when needed.

Extra staff was added for this week to help out in any way possible, Bittle said.

On campus Resident Assistants (RAs) are also trying to do their part to keep the residential halls safe.

Junior Renee Leanne has been an RA in Sheehan Hall for two years. She said she is always excited for homecoming week and knows how important it is to maintain safety within the residence halls.

“My residents are mostly freshmen, so this is their first year they are experiencing what a college homecoming is like, “ Leanne said. “It is fun to see them out there enjoying themselves.”

Leanne said college homecoming is rather different than high school. As an RA, she plans a lot of events during the days and focuses on more than just the football team’s homecoming game.

Leanne is well-aware that some students can get out of hand during homecoming week, so as an RA she advises all students to be careful and stay in groups for whatever activity they choose to partake in.

“This week is about celebration and school spirit. I would hate to see that saddened by something bad happening,” Leanne said.

With local and on-campus help, the hope is that students can celebrate their Warrior pride safely every year.