Top 10 Safety Tips for UCF Housing Residents

The “SafeWalk” feature allows users to share their location, destination and estimated arrival time with selected friends who can track the user’s trip on a real-time map. Selected friends will receive updates about the trip and, in the event of the unexpected, can ping police for assistance and relay critical location and timing information from the app. The UCF Mobile App is available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Bonus tip: UCFPD can provide any students, faculty, staff, or visitors with a walking escort anywhere on all UCF campuses, including Lake Nona, Rosen, and Downtown. UCFPD is available for walking escorts 24/7. To utilize the service, call 407-823-2424 (this number can be found on the back of your student ID). At UCF Downtown, you can also call 407-235-3800 to request an in-person security escort. A golf cart is also available for those who require an ADA-compliant transportation method.

We aren’t talking about the tailgating that occurs during football season (Go Knights, Charge On!). The tailgating we are referring to is the unsafe practice of allowing people to follow you into your building without swiping their own ID card at the card reader. Allowing others to enter the building without utilizing their personal ID card renders safety measures, like card readers, ineffective and puts the overall safety of the community and its residents at risk. If you notice someone attempting to enter the building without using their ID, direct them to the community office where Housing and Residence Life staff are available to assist them.

Did you know that UCFPD offers a free self-defense class to all Knights within the UCF Community? This includes Valencia students living at UnionWest, just be sure to register with your Valencia email. The Mighty Knights personal defense program covers topics such as mindset, preparation and safety awareness, and basic physical defense techniques. All classes are taught by Florida Department of Law Enforcement certified instructors. Due to COVID-19, Mighty Knights classes are only being offered virtually this semester. For more information about registration and the Fall 2020 class schedule, click visit the UCF Police department website here.

Besides being a Community Living Guide violation, which can lead to disciplinary action, propping open bedroom, apartment, and building doors, jeopardizes not only your safety but also the safety of your community and those who live in it. If you find yourself without your key and in need of a lock-out, just visit your community office and our staff members will be happy to assist you!

UCFPD has a FREE property registration program to help all UCF students and residents protect their personal property and bicycles in the case of loss or theft. Theft is the number one crime that affects college students across America. By enrolling in the property registration program, you can help increase the likelihood of your items being returned to you in the event they are lost or stolen. To learn more about Online Personal Property Registration, click here. To learn more about UCFPD’s new and improved bicycle registration technology, click here.

During the first week of each September, UCF hosts an Annual Campus Safety Fair which serves to educate our students about the various on-campus and community partners who are ready to serve our Knights. While this year’s safety fair will be held virtually in the form of a Webcourse due to COVID-19, it will still be packed with a ton of great information for all students. To learn more about the resources that are dedicated to keeping our campus a safe place to learn, live, work, and play, enroll here.

Did you know that the State Fire Marshall mandates that fire drills take place in our residence halls once a semester? Fire drills are designed not only to ensure that our building emergency systems are working properly but also, to educate students on the proper steps they should follow in the unlikely case of a building fire. As such, it is important that in the event of a fire drill or alarm, residents always evacuate their building and follow all directions provided by first responders and Housing and Residence Life staff. Please note, failure to evacuate your building during a fire alarm or drill is a violation of the Community Living Guide and may result in disciplinary action.

Become a Knight in the Know by taking this educational course presented by UCF Victim Services. This course focuses on raising awareness about topics like cybercrime, intimate partner violence, sexual assault, social media safety, and stalking. Completing this course is a proactive step toward ending violence in the UCF community. You can enroll here.

Our Community Living Guide (CLG) serves as a comprehensive document that contains everything you need to know to make the most of your on-campus living experience. The content ranges from safety regulations about decorating your room to the policies, procedures, and conduct you are expected to uphold as a resident of our on-campus community. We recommend all students become familiar with these guidelines which are in place to help maintain the safety of our communities. The most current version of the CLG can be found here.

Your ID is more than just a key, it also contains great emergency information you can turn to any time you need. Don’t take our word for it, take a look for yourself! The back of your ID card contains the numbers for the UCFPD Non-Emergency line, the Counseling Center, the Health Center, and a general Campus Information line. We recommend saving these numbers to your cell so that you will always have a way to access them.

Bonus Tip: Having your community’s office number saved to your phone will save you a lot of time and headaches when you need to contact them for a lock-out or with questions you may have. Community phone numbers can be found on the Housing website here.