Safety Tips

ALWAYS BE AWARE OF YOUR ENVIRONMENT

• When leaving your dorm or apartment, make sure that all doors and windows are locked - including the main building entry and exits.

• Keep an eye out for anyone who is loitering or hanging out around your home, campus, after school, work or your car. College students are much more likely to be stalked.

• Check out around your car as you walk up to it. If there is a van parked on one side of your car get in on the other side.

• One campus had a series of attacks where the attacker would hide under vehicles. Check under the other cars as you walk up to your car.

• Don't carry large sums of money.

• If possible, travel with another person. This is especially true after dark.

• Consider taking a self defense course.

• When carrying a purse or wallets, only place three or four one dollar bills inside. Credit cards, currency, driver's license, and keys should be carried in a coat pocket or concealed, possibly in an inside zipped pocket. Other possible options include special security belts and stash pouches are available for this purpose.

• At night, travel on well-lighted and well-traveled streets. Avoid unlighted areas. Walk in the middle of the sidewalk and never loiter in deserted areas.

• Walk on the side of the street nearest to oncoming traffic. If accosted by someone in a car, run in the direction opposite of the way the car is headed.

• Be aware of people who approach asking for directions or the time of day; keep a polite but safe distance. One ploy to be wary of is someone asking to use your cell phone to make an emergency call, but there doesn't seem to be any emergency at hand.

• Carry pepper spray to give you an advantage over an attacker.

• Men should consider carrying a second wallet containing a few one dollar bills and old expired credit cards, which are normally destroyed or discarded. If you are mugged, give the suspect the second wallet and take a mental note of a good physical description of the suspect.

• If you feel someone is following you, go to the nearest occupied residence or building and ask for assistance.

• If you are confronted with a dangerous situation, cry out for assistance. Yelling "FIRE! FIRE!" instead of "HELP!" will generally bring faster attention. WARNING: Just don't do this in a crowded movie theater, night club or other area where it might cause panic.

• When you get home, particularly after dark, don't hang around at the entrance of your residence. Make a quick check for mail or newspapers, and go in right away. If you feel something is out of place, don't go in, go to a friend or neighbor's house and call for police assistance.

• There are several websites online that offer safety products such as personal safety alarms. You can go to Campus Safety products, http://collegesafe.com/campus_safety_products.htm