info.risd.edu

Emergency resources on campus

Code Blue emergency phones
The Code Blue Emergency Phone system gives RISD community members a quick and reliable way to inform DPS of emergency situations on campus. These electronic, interactive voice communication and lighting units are prominently deployed throughout campus and can be used to request services, report suspicious activity or people, or alert DPS to crimes in progress. The phones are blue in color and the blue strobe lights atop them are engineered to be visible at a great distance. Their prominent placement on campus alerts would-be criminals that the area is well secured.

Location of phones

• 48 Waterman - East Hall
• 55 Angel - Refectory
• 55 Canal - ISB
• 161 South Main
• 231 South Main - BEB
• 296 Benefit - Carriage House
• Benefit at College - College Building
• Benefit at Meeting - Colonial Apartments
• Benefit at Waterman - RISD Beach
• College at South Main
• Mason/Fletcher Building
• Prospect at Olive Street
• Woods-Gerry Lot - DeFoe Place

Automated external defibrillator
An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a computerized medical device that can check a person’s heart rhythm. It recognizes and advises a rescuer if a heart rhythm requires a shock. The AED uses voice prompts, lights and text messages to provide the rescuer with step-by-step instructions. AEDs are a valuable tool that first responders use to provide valuable medical treatment to patients in advance of them being able to reach an emergency medical facility. DPS has deployed AED units at many locations throughout campus. DPS Emergency Medical Technicians carry a portable unit with them at all times. More information about how to use an AED is available from the National Institute of Health.

AED locations

• 15 Westminster Street (Public Safety booth)
• 20 Washington Place (1st floor outside auditorium)
• 41 Meeting Street (main entrance)
• 123 Dyer street (1st floor lobby)
• 130 Point Street (1st floor studio space)
• 161 South Main Street (2nd floor lobby)
• 187 Benefit Street Garage Studio
• 189 Canal Street (1st floor lobby)
• Bayard Ewing Building (1st floor lobby)
• Benson Hall (1st floor)
• Carr Haus (1st floor Benefit Street side)
• Chace Center (main entrance coat room)
• CIT Building (1st floor)
• College Building (stairwell between 2nd and 3rd floors)
• College Building (stairwell between 4th and 5th floors)
• Continuing Education (main lobby)
• Design Center (1st floor near Color Lab)
• Facilities Boiler Plant
• Fletcher Building (6th floor near elevator)
• Health Services
• Illustration Studies Building (1st floor near elevator)
• Memorial Hall (2nd floor near elevator)
• Met Dining Hall
• RISD Auditorium (main lobby)
• RISD Museum (Farago coat room)
• Student Fitness Center
• What Cheer Garage (carpenter shop)
• What Cheer Studios (1st floor lobby)
• Woods–Gerry Building (1st floor near restroom)
• Public Safety EMS vehicle

Emergency call-back procedure

• Call Public Safety 401-454-6376 to report a problem. (Sending an email, text or leaving a voice mail could delay the response time.)
  
• If the officer determines action is needed by Facilities, they will contact the on-call facilities administrator to assess the situation and advise the officer to contact one of the facilities on-call staff member(s) to return to campus.
• The responding on-call staff member will notify Public Safety when they arrive on campus and will review the status of the problem with Public Safety before leaving campus.
• If additional staff are required to address a problem, the responding on-call staff member will contact the facilities administrator for authorization to call in additional staff.

RISDRides

RISDRides enhances the safety of our community by providing on-call, door-to-door evening and late-night shuttle service. Using the RISDRides app (available at MyRISD), students, faculty and staff can request a ride from a RISD building to any location within the service area and vice versa. A wheelchair-accessible shuttle is available upon request.

HOURS OF OPERATION:
5pm – 3am (7 days a week)

The RISDRides program is sponsored by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and operated by Transdev of Rhode Island. RISDRides drivers are professionally trained and licensed and undergo regular driving and criminal history records checks. For easy recognition, RISDRides operates distinctly marked vans. RISDRides drivers wear Transdev uniforms as well as a photo badge that they must present to passengers upon request. Please direct any questions or feedback about RISDRides to DPS at 401 454-6666.

Passengers must show a valid RISD ID when boarding and are responsible for their guests. Passengers will be treated with courtesy and respect and be transported in a safe manner. As members of the RISD community, all passengers and their guests are expected to treat drivers in the same manner. RISDRides reserves the right to deny transport to any passenger if the driver deems their behavior to be dangerous to the operation of the vehicle, the driver or other passengers.

Passengers shall wear seatbelts in accordance with Rhode Island law. Pets, except service animals, are not allowed in RISDRides vehicles. Smoking and the transportation of alcohol (in closed or open containers) on board RISDRides vehicles is strictly prohibited.

HOW TO ACCESS THE RISD RIDES APP ON MYRISD >

VIEW AREA MAP >

Safety tips

Personal safety and security

Learn the location of Code Blue phones: whenever someone activates a Code Blue phone, DPS Dispatch immediately sends an officer to that location, even if the person does not speak into the phone. The officer will search the area. If you cannot stay at the phone, contact DPS with your location as soon as possible.

Program DPS’ emergency number in your cell phone: the DPS emergency number is 401 454-6666. DPS is reachable any time and from anywhere, and will dispatch officers if appropriate. If you are far from campus, DPS will contact area law enforcement to help you.

Travel in groups: Avoid walking alone after dark whenever possible. Find friends or coworkers to walk with, and if you must travel alone, ensure your cell phone is on and easily reachable. Travel in familiar, well-lit, high-traffic areas.

Pay attention to your surroundings: cell phones, headphones and other devices cause potentially harmful distractions. DPS advises storing electronic devices out of view after dark.

Find a safe place: If you are being followed or harassed, call for help and enter a safe building as soon as possible. Taking refuge in a place with witnesses is more likely to deter suspected assailants.

Get a personal alarm from DPS: visit our office at 30 Waterman Street/South Hall and ask for a free personal alarm keychain for use in emergency situations. The personal alarm can be carried in a bag, your pocket, or even attached to a belt. When activated, the personal alarm emits an audible sound which attracts attention, acts as a call for help or may even scare off an attacker. As always, if you feel unsafe, or need to report an incident, call Public Safety when on campus at 401-454-6666 or dial 911 for Police/Fire/Emergency Medical Services.

Residence safety and security
Be prepared to call for help: make sure your cell phone is charged and accessible at all times. If you do maintain a landline, place it in a visible, unobstructed location in your living space. If you are off-campus and in immediate danger call 911 and then contact DPS as soon as possible to inform us of your situation.

Schedule a crime prevention office security inspection: For more information about on- or off-campus home security inspections, contact DPS at 401 454-6376.

Don’t prop doors open: this practice creates serious security vulnerability. If you come across a door that has been propped open, securely close the door and contact DPS. Officers will search the area to ensure that no unauthorized individuals have gained access to the building.

Secure windows and doors before leaving your home: if a window or door in your on-campus home does not secure properly, submit a work order online to have the situation rectified.

Secure valuables in your home: valuable items should not be left unsecured or in plain sight. When you are not home, store laptops and other portable electronics in a cabinet or drawer—preferably one that locks.

Install extra locks in off-campus apartments: main doors that open into a common area in your building should be lockable. If your apartment doors do not have functioning locks, request proper locks from your landlord.

Check window security: ensure that all windows are fully functional and in good condition. If you live off campus, speak with your landlord about issues with window security. If you live on campus, submit a work order.

Office/studio safety and security
Do not prop open office or studio doors: propped doors create serious security vulnerabilities for our buildings, property and people. DO NOT prop doors, and if you come across a propped door, close it, secure it and contact DPS.

Notify DPS of suspicious persons: if you encounter someone who you believe does not belong in one of our buildings, contact DPS immediately with a location and description. Officers will be sent to investigate.

Call DPS for all safety or security issues: prompt reporting allows us to act and ensure community safety.

Property registration

Our property registration program lets you register with DPS any valuable item that can be stolen and can be identified by a serial number or other unique markings. The information you provide will assist with identifying lost or stolen property. You can also use it for police and/or insurance purposes.

DPS strongly recommends that you register your bicycle, ebike and/or motorized scooters. Additionally, students often register phones, laptops and other high value electronic items. We recommend that you take photographs of your items and store them in an accessible place.

Please fill out the property registration form and submit it via email to pubsafe@risd.edu. An officer will contact you to register your item and attach a decal for recovery. You may also come to DPS dispatch at 30 Waterman Street/South Hall or call 401 454-6666 for more information.

Event safety

Anyone planning a RISD event on or in the vicinity of campus must advise DPS. The following rules generally apply to all events:

• At least one staff or faculty member must attend.
• A Public Safety officer may need to be present at the discretion of the Director of Public Safety.
• Large events (especially those held in the RISD Auditorium) may require the presence of a Providence police officer(s) or Providence firefighter(s) at the discretion of the Director of Public Safety. The sponsoring department or organization will incur the costs for outside agency details.
• All events including the service of alcohol require that a RISD Public Safety officer be present. The event must also be staffed by a bartender hired by Dining + Catering. Event planners must complete an Alcohol Use Regulations Form and submit it to Public Safety and Dining + Catering at least two weeks prior to the event.

For questions about your event, please contact DPS at 401 454-6376.

Identity theft

Protect yourself against identity theft
Perpetrators of identity theft use various methods to obtain key pieces of their victim’s identity, frequently targeting credit card, driver’s license, Social Security and ATM card numbers in order to impersonate their victim. The perpetrator’s intent often is to spend large amounts of a victim’s financial resources in a short period of time.

Take the following steps to reduce access to your personal data

• Keep original documents in a secure place (do not carry them unless needed)
• Do not offer personal information via telephone unless you initiate contact
• Avoid obvious passwords or PINs (birthdates, names, last four Social Security digits, etc.)
• Pay close attention to billing cycles and statements
• Destroy old billing statements
• If you have other means of monitoring accounts, decline to receive printed statements
• Review credit reports regularly for unsolicited inquiries or discrepancies
• Be wary of free promotions; thieves create phony gifts to obtain information

Protect your social security number (SSN)

• Release only when absolutely necessary (taxes, employment, banking transactions)
• If a business requests to identify you by SSN, request an alternate number be used
• If a business insists on using your SSN, you should consider—and ask:

Why is my SSN needed?
How will my SSN be used?
How will my SSN be protected from theft?
Is there another business that provides the same service without requiring SSN disclosure?

Resources for combating identity theft
Federal Trade Commission
Identity Theft Hotline

877 IDTHEFT

consumer.gov/idtheft

Rhode Island Attorney General
Consumer Protection Unit
401 274-4400
contactus@riag.state.ri.us

Major credit bureaus:
Equifax: 800 525-6285
Experian: 800 749-7576
Transunion: 800 680-7289

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report

Find the 2024 Annual Security and Fire Safety Report here and in the documents section at the bottom of this page.

Public Safety daily crime and fire log

DPS maintains a daily crime and fire safety log that meets all Clery Act requirements. A log covering the past 60 days is available for public inspection upon request and during normal business hours at the DPS administrative office. DPS will make any portion of the log that is older than 60 days available for inspection within three business days of any request.

Crime prevention and safety documents

National Crime Prevention Council
The NCPC offers monthly programs that are posted in the RISD Public Safety Newsletter and through campus-wide announcements.

Personal alarms
This is a wearable safety tool that emits a 120 dB siren upon activation. Personal Alarms are available to students, staff and faculty free of charge.

First aid, AED and CPR training

DPS offers first aid, AED and CPR classes, monthly and free of charge, to students, staff and faculty.

Lost and found

If you have misplaced something on campus, Public Safety houses RISD's Lost and Found.

Building access codes

Campus building access codes for RISD faculty and staff are found on the myRISD App. (Download app at the Apple Store or Google Play.)

1. You must be logged into the Staff & Faculty Persona of myRISD to access the codes. Login via the user icon at the top right corner of the myRISD app. Use your RISD credentials.

2. In the mobile app, touch the Menu icon at the bottom of every app screen. The “Building Access” link is within this menu under the “Quick Access” options.

3. You can also access the codes via a desktop or mobile browser at https://my.risd.edu/staff_faculty/building_access/_/access. You must be logged into the Staff & Faculty Persona of myRISD in your browser.