Safety Campaign Encourages Community to ‘Be RevReady’

August 28, 2024

A new safety campaign is encouraging the community to "be RevReady" by educating and empowering the George Washington University community to prepare for and respond to emergencies.

The goal of the awareness campaign-which will be visible throughout the Foggy Bottom campus over the coming weeks leading into the annual Safety Fair on Sept. 17-is to increase the level of personal preparedness among the GW community. It focuses on the main tenets of emergency preparedness, offering actionable tips for every community member to make a plan, build a kit, and stay informed in emergency situations.

Complementing the campaign, the university also is finalizing a new online safety training that will be launched soon and offered to all students, faculty, and staff. The training is a comprehensive overview of key university safety terminology, protocols, and resources. The university will share more information when the training launches.

Additionally, active threat preparedness training already is available, and six sessions will be offered Sept. 18-19 and available to anyone in the GW community. Those interested can sign up here.

"Safety is always our university's foremost priority," said Baxter Goodly, vice president for safety and operations. "By educating ourselves on GW safety procedures, using our many safety resources, staying informed, and looking out for one another, we will be an even safer community for all."

In addition to the RevReady campaign, Safety Fair, and safety trainings, the university also wants to spotlight the many resources and teams that support safety on GW campuses:

Communicating Safety Guidance

GW Alerts

The university issues GW Alerts during emergencies or when an incident or event requires timely notifications that impact our campus or community and require action, awareness or preparedness. GW Alerts are sent to all GW email addresses automatically. Students, faculty and staff can also sign up to receive GW Alerts by text. Students may add a family member's mobile phone or email to their GW Alert user profile so the family member receives GW Alerts directly. Instructions are available here.

Campus Advisories

GW issues Campus Advisories when an incident or event may have an impact on GW's campuses or surrounding area. Campus Advisories also are used to communicate general information for the community's awareness. Examples of situations where Campus Advisories may be issued include inclement weather that could alter the university's operating status or a large event (e.g., a demonstration) on or near campus that may warrant heightened safety action, awareness, or preparedness.

Active Campus Advisories are always available on the Campus Advisories website. They also may be shared by email with the university community depending on the level of impact to the campus and community.

Campus and Residence Hall Safety

The university has increased GW Police Department patrols around campus and has assigned security officers to all residence halls. This semester, there will be a 24-hour security presence at Kogan Plaza and University Yard.

The university continues to work closely with District and federal partners to regularly assess security and enhance safety measures on campus as needed. For students, the Administrator On Call program remains available 24/7 to respond to, and offer guidance for, emergencies.

GW Safe Ride

The university offers GW Safe Ride, which provides a free and safe ride to or from Foggy Bottom campus residence halls and academic buildings during late-night hours for students, faculty, and staff who prefer not to walk alone.

GW Guardian app

The GW Guardian app provides an additional layer of security, allowing users to receive advisories and alerts, connect with GWPD and EMeRG, share information with emergency responders, and more.

Reporting Mechanisms

• GW's Bias Incident Reporting: Provides students with a mechanism to seek informal resolution of concerns that do not constitute a violation of GW's nondiscrimination policies.
• GW's Conflict Education and Student Accountability (CESA) Incident Reporting System
• Equal Opportunity, Nondiscrimination, Anti-Harassment and Non-Retaliation Policy: Provides reporting options for faculty, staff, and students.

Division for Student Affairs, Office for Diversity, Equity and Community Engagement

DSA and ODECE support students in many ways. For example, students, parents, faculty, and staff can identify students that may need additional support through DSA's CARE Team online form. Students are connected to resources through inter-departmental collaboration to provide them with appropriate and personalized outreach. Counseling and Psychological Services and TimelyCare are available for mental health support. ODECE's teams include the Multicultural Student Services Center and other staff who can provide student support.

GWPD, Office of Emergency Management, Office of Advocacy and Support, and EMeRG

More information and resources are available through the GWPD, Office of Emergency Management, Office of Advocacy and Support, and EMeRG websites.

Employee Assistance Program

The GW Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers various services for eligible employees, including free confidential counseling.

More Resources

View a more expansive list of offices and resources related to safety and well-being.