Fourteen new "blue light" emergency phones were installed on campus this summer, primarily in four large parking lots. The new phones, easily identified by their tall rectangular shape, are part of an ongoing effort to improve the safety and security of students, faculty, and staff--especially those who are on campus during evenings and weekends. The new phones bring the total number of blue light phones on campus to 54.
Each large parking lot (West Remote, North Remote, Hahn, and East Remote) now has three new blue light phones, located at the entrance, center, and back of each lot. In addition, there are phones at the Cowell bus stop (near Quarry Plaza) and the Oakes bus stop (near the lower College Eight parking lot). The Core West Parking Structure has three older style emergency phones on each parking level, at the east and west ends, as well as at the middle stairwell near Baskin Engineering.)
An online map of the new locations is now available at the campus emergency web site.
The phones are activated by pressing the large "emergency" button; the caller will be automatically connected to the campus Dispatch Center. At the same time, a high-intensity strobe light at the top of the phone will activate, providing a beacon for police officers to locate the person in distress.
For more information about emergency procedures on campus, visit emergency.ucsc.edu or contact Chris Gaylord at (831) 459-2342.
