When choosing your housing, you should always consider your safety. Ask yourself, does this neighborhood and/or housing option fit my health and safety needs?
Northeastern University has resources to ensure safety, such as NUPD, the SafeZone app, and UHCS when you’re here on the Boston campus. But, who do you contact if you experience a health or safety issue while outside of the Boston area? These are important considerations prior to your departure.
Your main resources for safety outside of Massachusetts will be The Northeastern Global Safety and Support Network, as well as Northeastern University Police. The two offices work in conjunction to ensure Northeastern students are safe as they travel outside of Boston for co-op or another academic program.
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The Northeastern Global Safety and Support Network provides travelers with referrals for local healthcare service providers, travel warnings, and emergency assistance services 24-hours a day. They also provide a wealth of information that will assist in pre-travel planning. Visit their website to learn more about these services, and discover other resources including best contact numbers for both emergencies and non-emergencies.
The Northeastern Police Department aims to ensure all Northeastern students are safe no matter where they are. If you need help outside of Boston, contact Northeastern police at +1-617-373-3333 for emergencies and +1-617-373-2121 for non-emergencies. You can also visit their website to read more about travel safety tips and how they work closely with The Northeastern Global Safety and Support Network to prioritize student travelers.
Preparedness and Research
The Northeastern Global Safety and Support Network, as well as Northeastern University Police require all students to enter their international and domestic travel itineraries and housing accommodations into the Travel Support Network. This hosts the university’s new and improved Travel Registry and offers a range of support services, including urgent and emergency medical assistance for travelers outside the US on university travel.
Travelers will find the Travel Support Network to be easy to access and use. It can be accessed in the following ways:
- Via a web browser, visit “My Travel Plans” in the myNortheastern portal or directly via GardaWorld Travel Security portal. Users should enter their Northeastern email and then will be taken to a Northeastern log in screen to sign in with their myNortheastern username and password.
- Via the mobile App, download the mobile app by searching “GardaWorld Travel Security” in the App Store or Google Play Store. The new app allows you to register travel directly within the application.
- Via Phone/email while traveling for university business, contact the 24/7 international assistance hotline +1.857.214.5332 (international collect calls are accepted). The existing international assistance hotline will remain active during this transition.
In addition to utilizing the Travel Support Network, it’s a good idea to obtain as much information as possible from the housing provider, before securing your housing. This includes:
- Safety or incident reports related to the housing
- If the housing provider knows of any Northeastern (or other university) students who have lived there recently
- A list of what is included and not included in the accommodations
- Safety features of the accommodations
- The cancellation policy or deadline
- Verification and reviews
- If you plan to stay with a host family through a homestay, ask which members of the host family will be staying overnight at the residence and if other students will be residing there
Personal Safety
The following safety tips are important to consider no matter where you are:
- Practice ride share safety when using Uber, Lyft, or other for-hire car/taxi services
- Know your neighbors
- If you decide to walk alone, especially at night, use well-lit, familiar streets
- Never take poorly-lit shortcuts through alleyways or wooded areas where someone may be hiding
- Be aware of your surroundings. Plan your route and walk with confidence. Avoid wearing earbuds or talking on the phone
Housing Security
No matter where you are, it’s important to ensure your housing is safe and secure. Read the following tips to consider when you arrive at your housing accommodations:
- If your building has a security desk in the lobby of the building, introduce yourself. Ask about their hours, policies, or rules that the security team may enforce
- Check the door locks to make sure they are functioning properly
- Make sure your door has a deadbolt lock and a peephole
- Become familiar with how your door locks operate, and remember to keep your door locked at all times
- Whenever you leave your apartment, lock your door and take your keys
- If you have a sliding glass door, place a wooden rod in the door so it can’t be opened from the outside
- Immediately report all suspicious activity, strangers loitering in or near the building, or behavior by other residents or tenants that you feel presents a safety or security risk
- Make sure that you know who has the master keys. That is, who has access to your building
- The mailboxes should be locked
- Know who handles your maintenance (snow, trash, burned-out lights). Hazardous situations should be handled immediately
- Fire escapes are to be used for emergency exit use only
- If your apartment and/or building does not allow you access to a rooftop or deck, respect this limitation. It is in place because those areas are not deemed safe for occupancy
Fire Safety
- Watch the #BestRoommatesEvah video here. Review fire safety tips and share with your friends and roommates.
- Check your apartment using the Campus Fire Watch Safety Checklist.
- Follow @campusfirewatch for a Fire Safety Tip each day!
Fire Safety Resources
Protecting your personal belongings
When traveling outside of Massachusetts, it’s a good idea to protect your belongings. Even though you may have renter’s insurance now to cover your belongings here in Massachusetts, check your policy to see if it covers your belongings in a difference state. If not, consider purchasing travel insurance that will protect your belongings and yourself.