UWM continues to modernize its campus safety infrastructure to match how students and employees use technology today. As part of that effort, the Blue Light Phone Optimization Project will bring our emergency communication systems in line with current technology and our overall safety strategy.
Over the next three months, UWM will be removing 24 aging blue light emergency phones from the interior of campus. The units are more than 25 years old and have reached the end of their lifecycle. Their failure rate has increased, and they require more maintenance, with limited vendor support.
Emergency phones in UWM’s parking structures will remain in place.
Another 24 blue light phones will remain in key locations around the campus perimeter, so our community has access to emergency communication.
Several factors shaped the decision to remove two dozen emergency phones:
- Minimal usage: In the last decade, blue light phones have had little to no use.
- Aging infrastructure: The current system relies on outdated technology with increasing failure rates and limited replacement parts.
- Increasing maintenance cost: Ongoing repairs are more costly and less sustainable.
- Enhanced campus environment: Interior campus spaces benefit from bright and consistent lighting, maintained sight lines and extensive camera coverage.
- Modern safety tools: The availability of mobile solutions such as the Rave Guardian app provides faster, more flexible access to emergency services, including real-time location sharing and direct communication with UWM PD dispatch.
The project work will be coordinated with campus partners, including Facilities and UITS, to ensure safe and efficient removal of emergency phones and continued system reliability.
We remain committed to providing a safe campus environment and will continue evaluating and enhancing our safety technologies to best serve our community.
Safety first
It takes all of us to create the safest environment possible to learn, live and work. Here are some essential tips:
- Be aware of your surroundings, and report suspicious behavior.
- Call 911 or the UWM Police non-emergency line: 414-229-4627, which is answered 24 hours a day.
- Sign up for emergency alerts and download the RAVE Guardian mobile app. Use the app to get emergency messages via WiFi, share your location with trusted friends and family, and connect directly with UWM Police via text.
