Home and Fire Safety:
Fire Safety:
If you're living off campus, the law is intended to protect you from fire hazards. Do not rent any apartment or house without checking the following:
- Request that your landlord present a Basic Business License for the property before you sign the lease.
- Contact DCRA (D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs) at 442-4400 to schedule a complete inspection of the house.
- There must be at least two accessible exits from every sleeping quarter. For a window to be considered accessible it must be large enough and low enough to the ground that you can climb out.
- Nobody may live in the same room as a furnace or an oil meter.
Use the this Fire Safety Checklist for your apartment or house to be sure you are safe in case of a fire.
Smoke Detectors- Check to make sure that you have working smoke detectors by testing them once a month. Change the batteries in your smoke detector every six months, and make sure they're never disconnected.
- Make sure at least one smoke detector is on every floor of the house. They should be located near each bedroom, either on the ceiling or just a few inches below the ceiling on the wall.
- The detector should have a distinct warning signal that you'll be sure to hear whether you're awake or asleep.
Escape Plan. Be aware of the escape plan and an alternate escape plan. Rehearse the escape plan and routes you will take. Make sure you have an outdoor meeting location where everyone will go, so that you can be sure everyone has made it out safes.
Other Basic Fire Measures
- Do not use extension cords whenever possible. When you have to use them, make sure they, and all other wires, never have to go under rugs or over doorways.
- Do not overload electrical outlets.
- Keep combustible materials like curtains, sheets and rugs away from appliances that may heat up, like computers, TVs, stoves, microwaves, or heaters.
- Never smoke in bed. Always keep ashtrays and other smoking materials away from combustible materials.
- Take care to make sure that piles of paper and trash are kept tidy, and away from wires and heating appliances.
- Do not leave a stove unattended while cooking.
Home Safety Tips:
- Lock your doors. All doors in your house should be locked at all times. . Landlords are required to provide effective locks for residences - contact your landlord if you have concerns about any security devices in your house.
- Lock your windows. Don't give burglars an opportunity to gain easy access to your home. Keep your windows locked at all times.
- If you have a car, make sure you keep those doors locked as well
- Leave an outside light on at night.
- If someone you don't know enters your residence, call the police immediately via 911.
- Mind your valuables. Keep your valuables out of sight at all times.
- Secure your laptop. Make sure that you purchase a lock for your laptop and keep it locked, even when in your home.
- Register your bicycle. Contact DPS (687-4343) to register your bicycle on campus. Buy a quality lock for your bike to protect against theft.
Emergency Preparedness:
For information on the University's response to alert status emergency response, as well as links to useful tips on how to be prepare yourself and your home, please see the University's Emergency Preparedness website.
Georgetown University is fully aware of thie need for security and safety and has taken numerous steps and precautions to ensure the safety of University students, faculty, and staff. The Office of Off Campus Student Life's primary concern in the event of an incident is the security of students who live off campus.
The University has evacuation and shelter plans in effect, emergency communications in place, and Red Cross trained individuals available to assist you if a disaster or threat were to occur while you are on campus.
If, however, a change in alert status or an event occurs while you are in your residence off campus, we urge you to follow the emergency preparedness steps outlined for individuals in private residences by the D.C. Emergency Management Agency. Please sign up DC's Emergency Notification System. If you live in Virginia, see the Virginia Department of Emergency Management. In Maryland, visit the state's Emergency Management Agency..
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