Emergency phones, Night Watch added to Health Science Campus

August 25, 2010 | News, UToday
By Meghan Cunningham



The University of Toledo has extended some of its safety and security services to Health Science Campus.

This is one of seven new emergency phones installed on Health Science Campus.

This is one of seven new emergency phones installed on Health Science Campus.

A total of seven Code Blue emergency phones were installed on the campus this summer in high-traffic areas, including near the entrance to UT Medical Center and outside the Health Education Building. When activated, the phones provide an almost instantaneous link to the police communication center, where the dispatcher immediately knows the caller’s location.

“The Health Science Campus did have some emergency call boxes, but we thought that the locations were not in the most accessible places and they could use an upgrade to the University standards,” UT Police Chief Jeff Newton said.

The phones can be used for non-emergencies, too, such as to request an escort, report a suspicious person or circumstance, obtain access to a building or room, or ask for motorist assistance.

The University also is extending its Night Watch escort service to Health Science Campus.

Previously, a security officer would provide an escort when requested, but the wait could be long if the officer was busy with another duty, Newton said.

Night Watch offers two-person teams of escorts equipped with two-way radios to keep in contact with a police dispatcher as they accompany a person to any parking lot or campus building.

The escort service operates from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. To request a Night Watch escort, call 419.530.3024 and a team will be sent to your location.

In the beginning, Night Watch will remain based on Main Campus and will travel to Health Science Campus when there are requests. That could change depending on where the greatest numbers of calls are, said UT Police Capt. Julie Rightnowar. Most Night Watch customers are students at the library who need a ride back to their residence halls.

The addition of both the emergency phones and escort service to Health Science Campus are a result of UT Police working with student groups and listening to their requests.

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