Safety & Security
Accidents and Other Illnesses | Emergency Calls | Fire Alarm Evacuation Procedures |
Fire Safety |Other Emergency Procedures |Outside Doors |Personal Safety and Security|
Solicitation |Suspicious Persons |Tornadoes |Walking or Jogging Alone |Important Phone Numbers
The University Health Center is open with limited services at 8 a.m. and full services are available for student use from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Monday through Friday. The Health Center is closed on weekends and holidays. If there is an accident or health related incident, contact your RA, CRA, AHD, HD, or PC immediately, or call 7777 for emergency assistance. Click on the following link for more information about the services of the Brown Lupton Health Center.
Fire Alarm Evacuation Procedures
Whenever a fire alarm sounds, normal evacuation procedures must be followed. All occupants are required to leave the building and may not return unless told to do so by TCU Police or fire officials whenever possible. A complete floor-by-floor, room-by-room check will be made of the building by TCU Police and/or fire officials whenever possible. Occupants must remain outside the building during this check. Any individual who fails to evacuate a building after a fire alarm has sounded will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action and will be charged a fine of $100. Remembering that smoke, not heat or flames, is the major cause of casualties in residence hall fires, you should follow these steps when the fire alarm sounds.
Fire Safety
A fire in a residence hall can endanger the lives of hundreds of people and destroy thousands of dollars worth of property. Fire safety should not be taken for granted. Every member of the campus has a responsibility to help prevent fires. Every student should be aware of potential fire hazards and know proper emergency procedures and phone numbers. The leading fire hazards in a residence hall include open flames (such as candles), decorations, trash, flammable liquids, halogen lamps, small extension cords, and appliances. Arson is the leading cause of campus fires, resulting in needless deaths across the country each year. False alarms are also one of the greatest hazards. They create a mood of apathy which leads to slow reactions in the case of a real fire. Please take the necessary precautions to insure that your room does not have fire hazards. Keep your room as uncluttered as possible. Use your appliances carefully. Report opened fire doors, blocked exits, and accumulated trash to your hall staff.
Your residence hall is equipped with several fire safety features with which you should be familiar. Fire alarms and smoke detectors are located throughout the building. Know where these are located and how they operate. Every hall has an escape plan for every resident which will be discussed at your mandatory all-hall meeting during the first week of each semester. A fire drill will be held early in the semester to practice escape procedures. Fire doors should be kept closed at all times. Instructions for what to do in case of a fire will be discussed each semester to familiarize residents with procedures to follow in case of a fire.
Other Emergency Procedures
Emergency situations in residence halls can be dangerous to the life and property of the residents. Therefore, various precautions are taken to insure that all students know what to do when an emergency situation arises. You are required to participate in ALL evacuation or emergency drills, fire or otherwise. Failure to participate will result in disciplinary action and possible fine.
Outside Doors
Since the residence hall is a community, everyone shares the responsibility for security of the building and residents. All doors are locked 24 hours a day. You must use your ID Card, to enter your hall. You should be aware that tampering with the security of a residence hall, such as propping doors open, affects the safety of all residents and is taken very seriously. Disciplinary action can result from such violations. Phones are provided at the entrance of each residence hall to enable students to call the residents they came to visit.
Personal Safety and Security
TCU suffers from many of the same concerns as other urban institutions. Students should take precautions to assure protection of their person and property. It is your responsibility to protect yourself and your possessions in your room. Remember to lock your door and windows when you leave, even if only for a short time. The University does not accept responsibility for the loss or damage of personal property.
Solicitation
No salespersons, students, or otherwise, are permitted to contact residents personally in the halls for commercial purposes. If a vendor bothers you, please notify the hall office and your hall staff at once. Campus organizations are permitted to sell in the hall lobbies with approval of the Hall Director, but they may not contact residents individually on a room-to-room basis. Use of the intercom to advertise such activities is not permitted. Recruitment by religious groups or campus organizations is prohibited in the residence halls.
Suspicious Persons
If you notice someone in your hall that does not belong, is behaving in a suspicious manner, or both, please contact a hall staff member immediately. If no one is available, or the person is displaying dangerous or threatening behavior, call TCU Police immediately (817/257-7777). Do not confront the person yourself.
Tornadoes
Texas is subject to tornadoes, particularly (though not exclusively) from March through September. The University works with Civil Defense to determine shelter areas on campus and educate staff on appropriate procedures. Each residence hall office is equipped with emergency Weather Service radio equipment. Your Hall Director will explain the tornado alert signal and will direct you to the designated shelter in your hall in the event of a tornado sighting. When the tornado alert signal sounds, you should:
1. Move quickly and quietly to the designated shelter area in your
building without running or talking.
2. Keep calm and listen for instructions.
3. Take one of the following positions:
a. sitting with head between knees and hands covering head, or
b. kneeling with hands covering head and eyes.
4. Stay in the designated area until the official "clear" is given
Walking or Jogging Alone
You can significantly reduce the chance of becoming a victim of crime by using the buddy system. Walking with at least another person at night or when in unfamiliar areas makes you less of a target for criminals. Make it a point to know where emergency telephones are located throughout the campus and do not hesitate to use them should you feel at risk or witness a crime. Notify TCU Police (817/257-7777) immediately if anyone on campus has bothered you, followed you, harmed or attempted to harm you. Until midnight each evening, students may call TCU Police (817/257-7777) to request an escort.
Important Phone Numbers TCU Police 817/257-7930 Emergency Number 817/257-7777 Hall Offices: Amon G Carter 817/257-7773 Brachman Hall 817/257-7877 Clark Hall 817/257-7879 Colby Hall 817/257-7881 Foster Hall 817/257-7875 Jarvis Hall 817/257-7883 Milton Daniel Hall 817/257-7885 Moncrief Hall 817/257-7204 Samuelson Hall 817/257-7772 Sherley Hall 817/257-7889 TBPW Apartments 817/257-7891 Waits Hall 817/257-7893 Wiggins Hall 817/257-7895 Administrative Offices: Housing and Residence Life 817/257-7865 ID Card Center 817/257-7895