gilburrito

A smaller REI store in Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech) would do -so- well. Blacksburg needs a place where students can buy windproof, warm, and waterproof EVERYTHING, and there are few-to-no choices as of now.

Example: I was looking for regular, every day earmuffs in early March to wear on a trip. Couldn't find a single pair throughout all of Blacksburg's retail.

Thank you so much for doing this AMA! I am a Hokie typing this from my room in West AJ (where the first shootings occurred), and since coming to Virginia Tech I have experienced a stronger feeling of community than I will ever be able to comprehend. Can you describe what the Hokie community was like before, and how it changed as a result of the tragedy? Did being a victim of the tragedy change your view/feelings of VT?

To give you an update on the VT Alerts system: In December 2011, Virginia Tech had an incident where a police officer was shot on-campus. A bystander used our emergency blue lights to report it (average response time is under 2:30). The alert sirens went on immediately, and texts/e-mails/phone calls were sent out within minutes. Each classroom has a clock that broadcasts such alerts. Everyone was on lock-down for about five hours. I never questioned my safety during the situation, or at any other time while attending VT. I was extremely impressed with how VT handled that situation, as well as other situations that were not direct threats to the community (weather, etc.).