Like the safety demonstration on an airplane, it is easy to ignore this section on safety, reasoning that you are an experienced traveler, someone who has grown up in a city, someone street-aware and responsible. While that may be true, you are also now a stranger, in a new place, marked out by your accent, dress and mannerisms. You are very obviously a foreigner.

Whilst SU Abroad and SU London do everything we can to ensure your safety, you are ultimately responsible for yourself. Please read the following and make sure you comply with the SU London safety requirements as soon as possible. Working with the US Embassy, the Metropolitan Police and International SOS we will give you up to date information about a variety of security and safety issues, both now and throughout the semester, but it is up to you to use what we give you proactively.

SU London Safety and Security – Student Requirements

• You must supply SU London with your contact details – UK address, e-mail (if different from your syr.edu one) cell and land line (where applicable) numbers – as soon as possible
• You must inform SU London whenever you are outside of London overnight by completing the overnight stay form on the SU London website
• You must take responsibility for frequently checking your e-mail and being responsive to any requests that we might make to ensure your security
• You must program a number to contact ‘In Case of Emergency’ (simply writing ‘ICE’ in place of a specified name) into your cellphone – we would recommend you use SU London Program’s emergency number (07957 473 159) for ICE 1 and your parents or next of kin ICE 2

Notification of Overnight Stay Away from London

All SU London students must complete a Notification of Overnight Stay form every time they leave London. Forms can be completed online. We will only access the information in case of an emergency, such as an incident in the city where you are staying, something affecting the train you are taking, your family trying to reach you, etc.

SU London

Please remember that the sooner you tell us about a serious incident the sooner we can help you. Program the SU London emergency number into your phone as soon as possible, and make sure to keep a note of it at home and while traveling.

• UK Emergency Services number: 999
• SUL Emergency number: 07957 473 159

Personal Security

Keep a record of your personal belongings such as cameras, laptops, credit cards, and passports. Note down the numbers. This may help police to identify them if they do get lost or stolen, and make it easier to replace lost/stolen cards and passports.

Be aware that it is a criminal offence to carry weapons such as knives in the UK, and that it is also illegal to carry CS/pepper spray.

Building Security

Faraday House

In the event of the fire alarm being sounded or evacuation required while you are at Faraday House please exit the building using the nearest fire exit and proceed to Old Gloucester Street (see map). Walk up Old Gloucester Street and congregate in Queen Square. Please wait there until given further instructions by a SU London staff member.

Pre-arranged Housing

In the event of an emergency necessitating evacuation of our pre-arranged housing site please follow the instructions you have been given on-site, following the instructions of the Security Guard or Student Liaison.

Keep both outer (building) doors and inner (flat) doors securely locked at all times and do not allow anyone to enter whom you do not know. Even though you are all together in one building, you are in central London housing, not a dorm, and you must guard against someone entering the building who should not be there.

Independent Housing

Please make sure that your flat has current and complete gas and electrical safety certificates. The landlord is legally obligated to produce both when you begin your tenancy.

Keep doors and windows securely locked at all times. If your door has 2 locks, use them both for added security.

Civil Emergency Procedures

The Metropolitan Police and London authorities are amongst the most highly skilled in the world, after two decades of IRA terrorism, but the security issues they face are common to all global cities.

In the event of a civil emergency:

• Follow the instructions of London emergency personnel
• Contact SU London to tell us where you are
• Reassure your family that you are safe
• Check the SU London website: SU London will replace the program’s website with the SU London emergency website, giving you detailed instructions of what to do and as much up-to-date information as possible. If needed, SU Abroad and SU London will call on the assistance of International ISOS to evacuate the program.