Unlike all of USI’s new students, Rachel Fiege never got to experience her first day of college.

The 19-year-old incoming Indiana University student went to a friend’s house and fell down the stairs early Saturday between 1 and 2 a.m., which resulted in a fatal head injury. The people at the house did not know she was injured, and she fell asleep.

She was found unconscious later that morning and not breathing. Paramedics arrived at 8 a.m. – almost 6 hours after she fell.

According to the Indianapolis Star, there was alcohol at the house, but it is unclear yet if Fiege had alcohol in her system. A toxicology report is pending.

Indiana passed the Lifeline Law in March 2012. It provides immunity to minors for the following crimes: public intoxication, possession, consumption and transportation of alcohol to persons who reveal themselves to law enforcement while seeking medical assistance for a person suffering from an alcohol-related health emergency.

“I would call even if I was totally wasted,” said Abby Hughes, senior advertising major.

The 22-year-old student said she wouldn’t even hesitate.

Sophomore Ashley Johnson, who is underage, said if she were drinking, she wouldn’t falter in calling for help either.

“I would never leave a person who was injured,” she said.

USI’s Student Government Association allied itself with Purdue and IU to help push for the law. According to the Lifeline Law website, only eight states, including Indiana, have a Lifeline Law that protects students.

The 2011 SGA President Jordan Whitledge, who pushed for the law, said it’s important to help students.

“The main reason was to make sure USI students had this option available,” he said. “It creates a culture for the individual first, and I think that was the most important.”

Sophomore biology major Rachel Eickhoff said she did know about the law.

“It’s best to always call, no matter what – no matter how severe,” she said.

Dean of Students Angela Batista said students would not be sanctioned to the typical conduct process if they reported a student at USI.

“The focus is really about safety, and we’re most concerned about students addressing those first,” she said.

She said students would only be sanctioned to an educational extent. The typical sanctions, such as fines or housing probations, do not apply under medical amnesty.

“The most important message is to report, report, report,” Batista said.

She said students should put public safety’s number in their cell phones in case they ever need to call. During Eagle Experience, she asked students to program them into their phones then as well.

“We are all members of a community that needs to take care of each other. We’re all dependent on each other,” Batista said. “We want students to take responsibility for taking care of each other, for doing something, to respond even if it’s not necessarily about them.”

If there is an emergency, call public safety at 812-942-7777 or “7777” on a USI phone.