A group photo of DUPD participants in their bonding program.
The Drexel Department of Public Safety (DPS) is excited to welcome Dragons, old and new, to Drexel this month. Are you ready to start the year safely? In this edition of Public safety and you, the official newsletter of DPS, you’ll find some key contact information to store in your phone, plus everything you need to know to travel safely on campus and throughout the Greater Philadelphia area. Not to mention all the upcoming opportunities to connect and get to know the DPS team: activity fairs, safety classes, police liaison program and much more!
The Basics: Top DPS Security Tips
This newsletter is full of important information to help you start the academic year off right, but if you only click one link, let it be this one (and share it with your friends and colleagues!): Top 12 Safety Tips from Drexel Public Safety.
Important numbers to save in your phone
If you haven’t already done so, please register 215.895.2222 in your contacts as the main emergency number for Drexel Public Safety, including Drexel Police and Fire and Emergency Services. (You can also call 911 in an emergency.) If you’re on campus in College Town, you can call 215.895.2222 to request a walking escort (more on that later). Additional numbers related to public safety, including security offices at other Drexel campuses, are provided on the DPS website; bookmark this page or add any relevant issue to your address book today!
To optimize your communication to and from DPS, please also perform the following actions, which you can perform right now on your phone:
- Download the Drexel Guardian app via iOS Or Google game. In the event of an emergency, Drexel Guardian allows the DPS Communications Center to immediately access important information about you.
DPS also recommends saving these numbers to help troubleshoot other issues that may arise:
- Real estate and facilities215.895.1700 (during business hours): Contact this department with any concerns or questions regarding maintenance emergencies, work orders, campus bus service, and on-campus construction. For after-hours maintenance emergencies, call Public Safety at 215.895.2222. For general and non-urgent maintenance requests, submit a job request online.
- Environmental health and radiation protection215.895.5919
- Employee Assistance Program1.888.881.5462: SupportLinc, Drexel’s Employee Assistance Programoffers free, confidential counseling, in person or virtual, 24/7, up to six sessions, per issue, per year, as well as many other mental health and wellness services.
- Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 988: If you are having difficulty, you can get help over the phone.
- Helpline for the homeless, 232.1984 or 1.877.222.1984: If you see someone in Philadelphia who is homeless and needs help, you can call one of these numbers provided by Project HOME Outreach Coordination Center.
How to get around campus and Philadelphia safely
For greater safety on foot: ask for a walking escort!
Upon request, Public Safety officers provide foot escorts to Drexel students, faculty and professional staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within DPS patrol boundaries in University City: 30th through 36th streets and Chestnut streets in Spring Garden. For more information and to request a foot escort, you can either 1) call Public Safety at 215.895.2222; 2) use one of the many building and blue light emergency telephones located on campus; 3) make a request on the Drexel Guardian app; or 4) ask any public safety officer on patrol or inside a building.
Escorts are also provided by University City District Ambassadors from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. between 30th Street and 42nd Street, Wallace Street to Woodland Avenue and 42nd Street to 50th Street, Market Street at Woodland Avenue. To request a walking escort from the University City District, call 215.387.3942.
In the downtown area, walking escorts are available at the New College Building by calling the security office at 267.359.2380 (escorts are provided by allied security officers).
Are you a dragon who has used our walking escort service? We would love to hear your feedback. Please email Linda Moran at lmm467@drexel.edu if you want to share your experience.
Travel with your DragonCard
You’ll need your DragonCard on hand at all times, as it’s necessary to get in and out of anything. buildings on campus. If you lose your DragonCard and need a replacement, visit Business Services Website for instructions.
Board a Drexel Shuttle
Drexel Real Estate and Facilities (REF) offers free shuttle transportation to Drexel’s three Philadelphia campuses – University City, Center City and Queen Lane – for students, faculty and professional staff. When boarding a bus, you must present a valid DragonCard to the driver. Bus service includes three fixed routes: Powelton/Spring Garden (seven days a week), Dragon (Downtown Loop, Monday to Friday), and Queen Lane (Monday to Friday). You can access the shuttle schedules on the REF website.
Use SEPTA buses, streetcars or trains
Philadelphia’s regional transportation system, SEPTA, has convenient stops throughout Drexel’s campuses, allowing you to travel across the city by bus, streetcar, subway, or “El” (the Market-Frankford elevated train line). To do it safely, make sure you know where you’re going and how to get the right fare. SEPTA has an app for this, or you can visit septa.org for more information. To report incidents or suspicious activity on SEPTA, call the SEPTA Transit Police at 215.280.8111, text a message to 215.234.1911 or use SEPTA’s toll-free service. Transit Watch app. Find more information on SEPTA Safety Page.
Did you know? Drexel is partnering with SEPTA to offer benefit-eligible employees unlimited-access SEPTA monthly passes through the Key Advantage program. Find out how to register on the HR website.
Carpool — safely
The one from last month Public safety and youshared some important rideshare safety tips. As a quick reminder, follow these steps when using Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare platforms:
- Plan ahead.
- Request your route inside.
- Check that you are entering the correct car.
- Avoid riding in the front seat.
- Share your trip details with a friend.
- Follow your intuition.
