As a member of the Georgetown University community, you can help keep our campus safe by observing your surroundings, asking about suspicious or questionable behavior, and calling for help when safety is an issue. Being alert to what's going on around us creates a culture that promotes and enhances security and safety and the openness and accessibility of our campus.

Prevention and Health Care

• Crime Prevention Services: The Department of Public Safety offers a variety of crime prevention services, including safety presentations and security audits. The department also sponsors Personal Safety Week and self-defense workshops.
  
  
• Sexual Assault Services: The Department of Public Safety works with Health Education Services' Sexual Assault Services Coordinator and other entities to respond and report incidents of alleged sexual assault in a manner that is supportive of the complainant. The Department of Public Safety also works with Health Education Services to conduct sexual assault training for students and members of the university community throughout the year.
  
  
• SafeRide Program: This program provides free, safe transportation for students to and from campus and adjacent neighborhoods. A SafeRides Shuttle operates Thurs - Sat evenings during the academic year to and from the main gates of campus (37th and O Streets) in two continuous loops through Burleith or West Georgetown.
  
  
• Identity Protection: Georgetown University is committed to educating our community about the threats associated with identity theft. Identity theft is a criminal offense and it happens every day to unsuspecting people all over the world. Act immediately to protect yourself from the fraudulent use of your personal information.
  
  
• Health Care and Medical Emergencies: In the event of a medical emergency involving any student, faculty, or staff member, immediately call (202) 687-HELP (4357) to alert first-response medical care. Non-emergency resources for students include the Student Health Service, Counseling Center, and Georgetown University Hospital.
  
  
• Education Abroad Safety: Safety on Georgetown University education abroad programs is a shared responsibility and requires that students (and their parents) be well-informed, active participants in maintaining their own well-being overseas. Georgetown University cannot control all the personal decisions, choices, and activities of individual participants.

On-campus and Off-campus Residences

• Fire Emergency: In the event of a fire, smoke or sound of a building fire alarm evacuate the building immediately. Upon discovery of flames or smoke, contact the Department of Public Safety (202) 687-4343 immediately. Follow instructions from DPS officers, your resident assistant, or building or floor marshal in the event of an evacuation.
  
  
• Natural Gas Leak: Any incident involving suspicious odors or potential gas leaks should be reported immediately to the Department of Public Safety at (202) 687-4343. The area surrounding the leak should be evacuated. DPS and staff members from the Department of Facilities Management and Department of Safety and Environmental Management will contact the appropriate officials to investigate, coordinate with Washington Gas, and repair the problem.
  
  
• Utility Outage: Utility outages could pose serious hazards to life, health or property depending on the particular incident. In the event of a utility outage contact the Department of Facilities Work Management Center at (202) 687-3432. The Center will coordinate with the appropriate engineers, mechanics and technicians to restore service.
  
  Do not attempt to restore power by turning on a tripped breaker. A tripped breaker results due to a problem in the electrical distribution system. Only properly trained personnel should respond to ensure maximum safety.
  
  
• Severe and Inclement Weather: Georgetown University makes every effort to maintain a safe and operational campus environment in the event of snow and inclement weather. Decisions about a change in operating status or campus closure due to weather are determined by the Academic Leadership after conducting a check of local and campus weather conditions in consultation with University Facilities.

Emergency Situations

• Bomb Threat: If you receive a threat on campus contact the Department of Public Safety immediately at (202) 687-4343. Use the checklists below to obtain as many details as possible to provide information to public safety officers. DPS will respond, evaluate the threat and coordinate with the Metropolitan Police Department as appropriate. DPS will provide instructions whether to evacuate the building. The Metropolitan Police Department Bomb Disposal Unit will inspect and remove any suspicious looking items during their inspection.
  
  Questions to ask caller:
  
  
  1. When will bomb go off?
  2. Where is bomb located?
  3. What type of bomb/explosive is it?
  4. Why are you doing this?
  5. Who are you?
  
  
  Observations from telephone conversation:
  
  
  • Exact language of threat
  • Date/time of call threat
  • Voice (e.g. male, female, adult, child)
  • Speech (e.g. slow, foul, impeded, rapid, broken, high-pitched, deep, intoxicated)
  • Background noise (e.g. music, typing, talking, television/stereo, traffic, quiet)
  
  
  
• Suspicious Packages/Mail Bombs: If you receive a suspicious package do not try to open it. Isolate the parcel, evacuate the area and call DPS immediately at (202) 687-4343. The United States Postal Service provides the following characteristics as typical of "suspicious parcels" in the mail system. Such items may include those that:
  
  
  • Are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar
  • Are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or otherwise outdated
  • Have no return address or one that cannot be verified as legitimate
  • Are of unusual weight, size, or shape
  • Are marked with restrictive endorsements such as "personal" or "confidential"
  • Have protruding wires, strange odors or stains
  • Show a city or state in the postmark that doesn't match return address