Staying Safe
Crime can present a risk in a large, open, dynamic environment that attracts thousands of visitors daily.
But MIT has a strong sense of community, and that neighborliness, combined with awareness, discourages potential crimes.
We've put together these tips and resources to help you stay safe—and to help you keep your area of the community safe.
Safety Best Practices
Lock your door when your office is unattended—property theft is the most common crime on campus.
Report suspicious activity to the MIT Police—dial 100 from any MIT phone.
Note the blue emergency lights around campus. They indicate telephones with a direct line to the MIT Police.
Take the free shuttle after dark. Saferide travels across campus and around town.
Register your laptop with the Crime Prevention Unit.
See the Sites:
Laboratory safety, hazard assessment and control, construction sites—EHS will advise you on any situation, event, or practice that you want to keep safe. Download the "Environment, Health & Safety Needs Assessment" PDF to determine if you must participate in a special safety training program in preparation for work in your area.
MIT Alert is the Institute’s emergency notification program, designed to provide you with essential information via phone, email, or text message in case of an emergency that affects the campus.
MIT Medical is open to the MIT community for urgent care 24/7. Not sure if you should come in? Call 617.253.1311 to consult with a clinician. Or dial 100 if you need an ambulance on the Cambridge campus—3333 for an ambulance at Lincoln Lab.
MIT's highly skilled police officers respond to most emergency calls within a few minutes. They are experienced at triage—bringing in all necessary services during an emergency as necessary. Check out their excellent Crime Prevention Unit.
MIT Snowline
Weather-related emergencies are announced on the MIT home page and on the MIT Snowline 617.253.SNOW or 617.253.7669. An MIT Alert (see above) will be deployed only in the case of an unusually severe, life-threatening weather event.
Free to all members of the MIT community, MIT’s safety shuttle service provides a secure means of late-night travel within and around the MIT campus. Visit the Saferide site to download a copy of the shuttle schedule.
Campus Emergency Numbers
MIT Police
100 (from a campus phone)
617.253.1212 (from a mobile phone)
Environmental Health & Safety
100 (from a campus phone)
MIT Ambulance
100 (from campus phone)
617.253.1311 (from a mobile phone)
MIT Snowline
253.SNOW (from campus phone)
617.253.SNOW or 617.253.7669 (from a mobile or off-campus phone)
Saferide
253.1212 (from campus phone)
617.253.1212 (from a mobile phone)
Not sure whom to call?
Dial the MIT Police. They will summon other emergency services as necessary.
