August 17, 2023

To help new and returning Dragons prepare for a safe start to the new academic year, Drexel's Public Safety August Newsletter, Public Safety & U highlights four tips to help Drexel students, faculty, and staff prepare for a safe fall term.

4 Ways to Prepare for a Fall Term

1. Take These Actions Right From Your Phone:

• Add Public Safety’s emergency phone number, 215.895.2222, to your mobile phone contacts list. This number connects you to the DPS Communications Center, and you can use it for emergencies, to request a walking escort, or to report a crime or suspicious activity. (You may also call 911 during any emergency.) Calls placed on campus blue-light emergency telephones also immediately connect to the Communications Center, as do messages sent through the Drexel Guardian app. Additional important phone numbers you might consider adding to your phone are listed on the DPS website.

• Download the Drexel Guardian app via iOS or Google Play. In the event of an emergency, Drexel Guardian allows the Communications Center to immediately access important information about you.

2. Make Sure You’re Getting Safety Alerts:

• The Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management has an alert system called ReadyPhiladelphia, which anyone can sign up for to receive advisories about emergencies, road closures, severe weather, and transit delays for the city overall. To receive text alerts, simply text "ReadyPhila" to 888-777. You can also read more information and sign up on the City of Philadelphia website.

• DrexelALERT is an emergency notification system that provides fast dissemination of crime and safety alerts to Drexel students, faculty and professional staff via text messaging and email. DrexelALERT’s effectiveness depends upon individuals providing accurate personal contact information, so at the start of each term, students, faculty and professional staff are asked to confirm and update their contact information when they log in to DrexelOne. Please note: New, incoming students will begin to receive alerts approximately six weeks before the start of their first term.) 

To confirm your DrexelALERT contact information:

• Log in to DrexelOne.
• Select the Welcome tab in the main menu bar.
• Select DrexelALERT under the Safety, Security and Support header.
• Update your contact information and select Submit.

3. Remember to Bring:

• Your Dragoncard acts as your official University ID and is required to enter and exit all on-campus buildings. Drexel’s Building Access Guidelines outline accessibility parameters for campus buildings. If you lose your DragonCard and need a replacement, visit the Business Services website for instructions.

• If you’re planning to keep a bike at Drexel, bring a U-lock to ensure it remains safe on and around campus. Brush up on how to properly secure a U-lock on the DPS website. (Public Safety has a property registration program, so if your bike — or any other registered property — gets stolen, law enforcement will have valuable crime-solving information.)

4. Get to Know DPS’ Units and Services

The department consists of administrative and operational units working around the clock to protect and provide safety tools and education to the Drexel community and surrounding neighborhoods. The department is made up of the following units:

• The Drexel University Police Department (DUPD) is staffed by sworn Pennsylvania-certified police officers trained in many specialized services including first aid and CPR, investigations, crime prevention and community outreach. DUPD police officers conduct patrols by foot, vehicle and bicycle (view patrol boundary maps on the DPS website), and they maintain relationships with local law enforcement agencies and neighboring communities. DUPD also provides victim support services to those who are victims of violent crime.
• The DPS Communications Center is staffed 24 hours per day, seven days per week as a full-service safety and emergency dispatch center. Whether you are in an emergency, need to report suspicious activity, want to request a walking escort or have any other safety concerns, dial 215.895.2222 and a DPS dispatcher will send help your way.
• Allied Security Officers are contracted security personnel who patrol the University City, Center City and Queen Lane campuses via foot, bicycle and vehicle; provide fixed-post security in campus buildings and at events; and provide walking escort services. Allied security officers do not have the authority to make arrests.
• The Fire and Emergency Services team works to ensure all Drexel University campuses maintain comprehensive fire and emergency preparedness practices

Check out Drexel Public Safety's monthly newsletter in DrexelNews for more campus safety news and updates, and make sure you follow Drexel Public Safety on social media! Drexel Public Safety is on X (formerly Twitter) @DrexelDPS and Instagram @drexelpublicsafety!

​Article by Rachel Mroz