Emergency Response

Recently, residents have raised concerns about Charlestown Security Department’s response to pendants in emergency situations. Here are a few things to remember:

• If Security is responding to another emergency when you press your pendant, it may take more time or response may have fewer officers.

• If one pendant is pushed, it’s good to have others nearby also pushed – that tells Security the location of the emergency. If a witness has a cell phone, call Security dispatch on 410-737-8806 to tell Security supervisors precisely what happened and where to respond. Don’t hesitate to call just because one pendant was pushed.
• While our pendant system is excellent, it is not foolproof or always guaranteed to bring Security. Security officers’ response time averages three minutes. However, in the event of a major emergency elsewhere, their resources will be split between locations. Remember that having specific information helps Security dispatch help.
• Several recent incidents on campus illustrate the success of Charlestown Security. In one, CPR by a security officer resulted in saving the life of a resident. In another, Security responded to the two elevator outages in St. Charles, transporting residents upstairs and otherwise assisting. In a third, Security assisted two injured residents simultaneously, both of whom had full recoveries.

I’m thankful to the Security Department for their excellent service, and to the residents whose assistance makes Security officers’ responses more timely and effective.

Ed Appel
Co-Chair, Safety and Security Committee