Dear Georgetown Capitol Campus Community,
At Georgetown, we take your safety, health, security and emergency preparedness very seriously. As we begin the academic year, please review the following information and resources about what you can do to keep yourself and our community safe.
These resources are available at the Capitol Campus Department of Public Safety (DPS) webpage.
Thank you for your attention to these matters, and we hope you have a great semester.
Fredinal “Fred” Rogers
Director, Dept. of Public Safety
Michala Koch
Acting Chief Public Health Officer
George Petasis
Assistant Dean of Technology and Chief Information Officer
Personal Safety
For your personal safety and the well-being of the community, please consider the following strategies:
Use the LiveSafe Mobile App. LiveSafe is a personal security system that connects users with DPS when activated during an emergency situation. The app also allows users to report suspicious activity, request a personal escort, access resources on emergency preparedness, and use SafeWalk to share your location with friends.
Sign Up for HOYAlert Text Alerts. Confirm/update your contact information for HOYAlerts. All current students, faculty and staff are automatically enrolled to receive email and text messages from HOYAlert, Georgetown’s mass notification system used in the event of an emergency situation or incident on campus. Please take a moment to confirm or update your HOYAlert contact information. You can also “follow” HOYAlert on Twitter.
Enroll in Alert DC. AlertDC is the official District of Columbia communications system that allows you to receive emergency alerts, notifications, and updates directly from DC’s public safety officials. AlertDC allows you to pick and choose what kind of notifications you want to receive through text and/or email and the time of day you wish to receive alerts. It is a great way to stay informed of important events and emergencies throughout the District.
Emergency building reference guides are available online and posted in all of the classrooms to guide members of our community and visitors in the event of an emergency. Please be aware of the location of exits in the event of a fire or other emergency.
If You See Something… Say Something. Program phone numbers for the Department of Public Safety (DPS), (202) 662-9325 into your phones. Off-campus, contact 9-1-1 to report an emergency. If you are concerned about threatening behavior or are worried about potential violence to the University or someone at Georgetown, contact the Georgetown Threat Assessment Program.
Run-Hide-Fight Training. Keeping the Georgetown community safe from an active shooter incident is a top priority. You can request a ‘Run. Fight. Hide.’ training session by filling in the form, and a member of DPS will get in touch with you to coordinate the training.
Be Aware and Vigilant. Never walk alone at night, and always walk along well-lit and well-traveled routes. Take earbuds out of your ears, and keep your attention on your surroundings rather than your phone. Please use caution and use marked crosswalks, particularly near on-campus construction areas. Always walk bicycles and scooters on sidewalks and reduce speed when approaching pedestrians and/or construction zones. Scooters should never be taken or ridden indoors. Please be considerate of community members, and keep your voices down and your behavior respectful as you move through the residential neighborhoods.
Take Precautions with Ridesharing. Always check that the vehicle, license plate and driver information matches what’s listed in the rideshare app. Don’t give away your name prior to entering the vehicle, instead ask the driver to confirm the name of who they are picking up.
Fire Safety. It is important that all community members take fire-safety precautions and are prepared for building emergency evacuations. In the event you discover fire or smoke, or if you hear the fire alarm:
- Leave the building immediately via the stairs. DO NOT USE THE ELEVATORS.
- As you leave, close all doors, including any that are propped open, and pull the fire alarm station, if not already ringing.
- Once outside, follow directions from the Building Floor Marshals and DPS and gather in designated assembly areas. Do not congregate in front of the entrance to the building.
- Remain outside the building until the “ALL CLEAR” is given by Building Marshall or DPS. Please note: silencing of the alarms does not constitute an “ALL CLEAR.”
Students in university housing should take special care to note prohibited items that are a fire hazard. If you are living off-campus, please make sure your residence has working smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, and fire extinguishers.
E-Scooters and E-Bikes. Due to the fire-safety danger presented by lithium-ion-equipped micro-mobility devices, Georgetown has banned these devices from all university-owned and operated buildings. This policy covers the storage and charging of all micro-mobility devices equipped with lithium-ion batteries including but not limited to e-scooters, e-bikes and hoverboards, and applies to all students, faculty, staff, and visitors. This policy does not limit the use of micro-mobility devices that are necessary due to a disability or medical reason. A number of rideshare e-scooter and e-bike services are available to use in the area, but these devices cannot be brought into university buildings and should not be left in the middle of sidewalks, roads or curb cuts because they can block accessible pathways.
Securing Your Property
We want your belongings to be safe, and the university cannot be responsible for personal items. Therefore, please take the following actions to protect your items:
Lock Your Doors. DPS recommends all students lock their doors every time they leave their room or home. Office spaces should also be secured if they can be.
Lock Your Laptops and Bikes. Never leave laptops or bikes unattended. To mitigate thefts, all bicyclists are encouraged to use U-locks, which are more secure and more difficult to cut than cable locks. Contact DPS for laptop and bicycle registration in McDonough Room #102 or calling (202) 662-9325.
Share your Feedback with DPS. DPS accepts all feedback regarding the conduct and performance of the department. If you want to provide feedback, please report the incident, anonymously if preferred, to an on-duty supervisor at (202) 662-9325.
Public Health
As we prepare for a new semester, the U.S. and our region are experiencing an enduring summer wave of COVID-19. We encourage you to take recommended precautions and to stay home when sick, to care for yourself and protect others. The latest University guidance and resources are available here.
Mark Your Calendars
Hoya Ready Preparedness Fair. In celebration of National Preparedness Month, we will host the Hoya Ready Preparedness Fair on Thursday, September 19, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Ginsburg Sport & Fitness Center Patio (rain location: Ginsburg Sport & Fitness Center Lobby), which will be a fun opportunity for the Georgetown community to learn about safety and emergency preparedness resources and lifesaving skills like CPR and Stop the Bleed while enjoying free snacks and giveaways.