I was a senior at Capitol Campus Penn State (now Penn State Harrisburg). I was a student employee working for the Continuing Education department.
On March 28, I was working in the main building, second floor, doing preregistration for the spring term. The day started seemingly uneventful. I drove in that morning from my off campus housing location in Chambers Hill, Harrisburg. Preregistration lasted from 9 am to 11 am. I was done early, around 10:30 or so, and walked down the steps to the main lobby only to see it full of people. I asked a man what was happening. He said there was an “event” at TMI nuclear power plant. I can’t recall exactly but there were a few pay phones (2-4) in the lobby. They were all trying to use the pay phones to file their stories. I had never seen such activity like that!
I asked a man what was happening.
I left the main building to visit my former housemates in Meade Heights and to tell them the news. By the time I arrived, they had already been informed of the news by their RA (resident student assistant). A short time later the campus police made loudspeaker announcements from their police cruiser. We were told to stay indoors and not to go outside until further instructions.
School was cancelled and we were instructed to evacuate 100 miles if possible and wait for future instructions. I left the campus and went back home to rural Shickshinny, PA. I got most of information about the accident from the news.
After a week or so I received received notification that it was okay to return. School reopened almost as if nothing had happened. My classmates that lived on campus were part of a follow up health study. Since I lived off campus, I was not. I am happy to report that we all remain healthy with no ill effects of the accident.
Joseph