Campus Safety
Notre Dame Police Department
The University of Notre Dame Police Department, located in Hammes Mowbray Hall just east of the Power Plant, is fully authorized as a police agency by the State of Indiana. Notre Dame police officers complete state mandated training requirements established for law enforcement officers and have the same legal authority as any other police officer in Indiana. The department also employs non-sworn staff members who work as security monitors, in Parking Services and the Card Office, or in other support positions in the department.
The NDPD website has plentiful resources and information to keep you safe:
Notre Dame Fire Department (NDFD)
"Serving three colleges and 15,000 citizens – and a population that swells to over 100,000 during a football game – the members of the University of the Notre Dame Fire Department devote a significant portion of their lives by working 24 hours shifts to safeguard the Notre Dame Community." Located on the corner of Holy Cross Drive and St. Joseph Drive, the NDFD is responsible for emergency responses, fire safety inspection and education, and fire protection service maintenance.
Title IX
"Appointed annually by the Vice President for Student Affairs, Notre Dame’s Committee on Sexual Assault Prevention (CSAP) offers advice and guidance to the Office of Student Affairs on how to assist and support victims of sexual assault. It facilitates collaboration and communication among the different departments and student groups working to address sexual violence and spearheads a variety of rape education/prevention initiatives."
Risk Management and Safety
"The Risk Management and Safety Department is dedicated to providing quality service and professional advice in the areas of safety, occupational health, environmental protection and risk management.
Our main duties include safety and health inspections throughout campus, University insurance, hazardous waste services, workers compensation, health and safety training, personal protective equipment, emergency response for hazardous incidents, and consulting services."
Winter Safety
1. Our grad students come from all over the country and all over the world. For many first year students, this will be an eye-opening experience of cold. Our best advice: good boots! If your feet are wet and cold, you’re going to be miserable. Dress in many layers, so you can adjust in a well-heated indoor room. Whether driving or walking, give yourself extra time to get places. Not only will you have to scrape snow and ice from your car, you will have to walk carefully on potentially slippery surfaces. If this is your first time driving in winter conditions, please read Safe Winter Driving Tips.
2. Heaters dry out the air, and consequently your skin, your sinuses, and everything else. Consider purchasing a humidifier for your home, and find a moisturizing lotion you like enough for daily use.
3. Make sure to bring gloves, a hat, and a scarf when you leave the house. It is also a good idea to keep a spare set of warm clothes, hand and foot warmers, and a blanket in your car. You never know when you're going to need extra warmth!
4. Speaking of cars, now’s a good time to be sure your car is winter-ready. Make sure you’re up to speed on routine maintenance (oil change, radiator flush, etc.), purchase a good ice scraper and snow brush, and put a cheap bag of kitty litter in your trunk. When wiping snow off your car, make sure to clear the front headlights and back taillights/breaklights. It is the law and will greatly improve your safety and that of the other drivers who might actually then be able to see you. For hints on safe winter driving visit osha.gov .
5. We call it the “permacloud,” that constantly gray state of the universe between November and March in South Bend. It makes you want to get in the car and drive until you see the sun. If you need to brighten up from the winter blues without spending a fortune on gas, reserve a time slot for light therapy at the Inner Resources Room. It’s a free, easy, and sunny solution to a common seasonal concern.
6. Beware the ice you cannot see! One day it's wet and rainy. Next day it'll freeze. Then it snows. The fresh snow can hide ice underneath. Please wear proper footwear and take care while walking on potentially slippery surfaces. This is especially important when walking in parking lots. The clear black ice is particularly deceptive.
7. If you are away from home during the winter months, be sure your apartment or house is winter-ready. Leave the central heat turned on, with the thermostat set at 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This will help prevent pipes in external walls from freezing.
8. Don’t be fooled by sunshine. A clear blue and sunny sky looks like a Spring day…until you get outside in the 17 degree chill. Check the weather before you leave the house, and make sure that you will be warm enough for the whole day.
9. Enjoy the snow! Campus is beautiful in the winter. Don't forget to take a moonlight walk and watch as the snow glitters on the trees around the lakes. :)
Tornado Safety
Indiana is on the northeastern edge of the region known as tornado alley. Though thankfully not a regular occurrence, it is still important to be prepared and know how to stay safe in the event of a tornado. Tornado sirens are tested on the first Thursday of each month at approximately 11:30 AM. The following websites provide general safety information as well as Notre Dame emergency planning resources:
Ready.gov
ND Tornado Safety
emergency.nd.edu