You never know when madness will flare

It seems implausible that Umpqua Community College in rural Roseburg, Ore., would be the scene of a mass shooting that left at least nine victims dead.

In the college website’s “about us” section, it touts a “peaceful, safe atmosphere.” Now, in a corner of that page, a red box states that classes have been canceled until Oct. 9.

Although the school is far from our state, nestled in the North Umpqua River Valley, the tragedy that occurred underscores the need for local campuses to prepare for anything and everything.

The University of Hawaii-West Oahu, for instance, last month held an “active shooter” presentation to discuss how faculty and staff can best respond to a shooter at the Kapolei campus.

We hope that UHWO’s proactive planning will never need to be implemented, but the latest incident is a somber reminder that no campus is immune.