Renovations, Upgrades to Public Safety, Fire and EMS Strengthen Campus Safety

The College of Charleston’s Fire and EMS and Department of Public Safety remain dedicated to the safety of the campus community – and, with recent developments, they are protecting us better than ever!

Not only are the Fire Safety and Collegiate EMS teams acquiring a newly outfitted fire vehicle and ambulance, but the Department of Public Safety recently completed several renovations and upgrades to enhance the overall safety and security of the College of Charleston campus.

Renovations to the reception area in the headquarters lobby, for example, have provided an additional layer of security to the restricted areas within our headquarters. Included in this upgrade are a digital information monitor and a counter space for ADA access. The professional atmosphere this creates allows for a greater customer service experience.

Another upgrade was in the former training room, where there is now a video wall consisting of multiple monitors with live feeds from hundreds of campus cameras and media sources. The newly renamed Public Safety Operations Center (PSOC) greatly increases situation awareness and resource deployment during large-scale events and natural disasters. It also provides an additional in-house training space for students, faculty and staff.

Previously serving double duty as both a break room and interview space, the employee lounge has also been renovated into a new interview room with state-of-the-art sound and video equipment that provides a secure environment and ensures that information gathered during the interview process is properly documented and secured.

In addition to these renovations, the department was recently awarded a grant providing its officers with new body-worn cameras (BWCs). Widely used by officers in state and local law enforcement agencies across the country when they are performing duties that require open and direct contact with the public, BWCs provide transparency between police and those they serve by ensuring that interactions are properly recorded.

Public safety reminds faculty and staff to maintain situational awareness wherever they may be: Look for avenues of escape when you enter unfamiliar locations, avoid travel late at night, practice safety in numbers, safeguard your valuables at all times and – above all – trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, it very likely isn’t. Be vigilant! Stay safe!

Public safety is here to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The non-emergency number is 843.953.5609. Always dial 911 in emergencies! And the campus community is always invited to stop by and visit the public safety headquarters at 89 St. Phillip St.