Crime Prevention and Safety Resources
Learn about essential safety procedures, and find additional programs and guidance for ensuring a safe RISD community.
Safety essentials
Code Blue phones
Our Code Blue phone system provides a quick, reliable way to request urgent services, report suspicious activity, or alert us to crimes in progress. These interactive voice communication and lighting units are blue in color that emits a blue strobe light engineered to be visible at great distances. Prominently placed to show that our campus is well secured, Code Blue phones also act as a crime deterrent.
CODE BLUE PHONE LOCATIONS
- 48 Waterman Street (East Hall)
- 55 Angel Street (Met Refectory)
- 55 Canal Street (Illustration Studies Building)
- 161 South Main Street
- 231 South Main Street (Bayard Ewing Building)
- 296 Benefit Street (Carriage House)
- Benefit Street at College Street (College Building)
- Benefit Street at Meeting Street (Colonial Apartments)
- Benefit Street at Waterman Street (RISD Beach)
- College Street at South Main Street
- Mason/Fletcher Building
- Prospect Street at Olive Street
- Woods-Gerry Lot (DeFoe Place)
Automated external defibrillator (AED)
An AED medical device checks the heart rhythm of a person in medical distress to determine if their heart requires a shock, and provides voice prompts, lights and text messages to instruct responders in administering emergency measures. AEDs are critical tools for first responders in providing immediate care ahead of transport to an emergency medical facility.
We have placed many AEDs across campus. In addition, our EMTs carry portable AED units with them at all times.
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
RISDAlerts notification system
RISD subscribes to RISDAlerts, a mass notification system that is designed to alert our community in the event of a campus emergency. This system uses email and text messaging to send time-sensitive information to students, faculty and staff members, and rebroadcasts wireless emergency alerts (WEAs) in addition to campus-specific safety messages.
To ensure that you receive the information you need in the event of a campus emergency, we offer three notification methods:
Email: All RISD email addresses (@risd.edu) are automatically enrolled in the system and will receive RISDAlerts.
SMS text messages: RISD students, faculty and staff must designate a cell phone number in Workday to receive text notifications. Here’s how to update your contact information in Workday.
Push notifications: RISD students, faculty and staff may download the RISD Mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play and enable push notifications.
In the event of a major campus-wide emergency, alerts will also appear in a prominent banner at the top of this website with a link to risd.edu/emergency for more details.
NOTIFICATIONS FOR GENERAL PUBLIC (NO @RISD.EDU EMAIL)
Anyone who does not have an @risd.edu email and wishes to receive RISDAlerts via text can opt in by texting “RISDALERT” to 226787. This shortcode subscription service is intended for the families of RISD students, as well as nearby residents.
The shortcode text alert service will remain active for 365 days. When the subscription expires, subscribers will receive a text inviting them to re-subscribe. You can stop at any time. Just reply “LEAVE RISDALERT”, or “STOP” to any RISDAlert text message.
Message and data rates may apply. Text messages are sent on an as-needed basis. This service is provided per the RAVE Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
If you are a parent and receive an alert, contact your student to make sure they have also received the alert.
Personal alarm
A personal alarm is a device that can help protect you in emergency situations by emitting a highly audible sound to attract the attention of people who can come to your aid, and possibly scare away potential threats.
You can pick up a personal alarm keychain by stopping by our office in South Hall (30 Waterman Street).
Please note that the personal alarm is not a substitute for contacting Public Safety. If you feel unsafe and/or need to report an incident, call our 24/7 emergency line (401-454-6666) or dial 911 for police/fire/emergency medical services.
Crime prevention and safety training programs
FIRST AID, AED AND CPR TRAINING
We offer classes in first aid, CPR, proper AED use, and more, free of charge to students, staff and faculty.
NATIONAL CRIME PREVENTION COUNCIL (NCPC) PROGRAMS
The NCPC offers monthly programs that DPS promotes via campus-wide announcements, our newsletter, and Instagram.
Call or email us if you are interested in any of the above.