SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University students will have increased access to emergency services.

The SRU Office of Emergency Management is leading an initiative to add more emergency call boxes to all campus buildings with its eyes on finishing the expansion by the summer.

Paul Novak, executive director of planning and environmental health and safety said the phones are directly connected to the SRU Police Department with someone available to take calls 24/7.

“Yes, everyone has cellphones nowadays, but the call boxes provide additional coverage for people who cannot access their cellphone or do not know the number for University Police,” Novak said.

Novak said the phones are available at buildings with most inside and some on the walls outside.

Amir Mohammadi, SRU's senior vice president for administration, global engagement, economic development and chief innovation officer, said the initiative is focused on upgrading software and enhancing coverage across campus from residence halls to auxiliary halls and everywhere in between.

“We are constantly improving our safety and security of students and staff. This new initiative is going to help us get there even faster,” Mohammadi said. “It's more of an upgrade and an enhancement.”

After all phases are completed, there will be 161 call boxes across campus with at least one in every building. The new call boxes are wall-mounted with a silver face plate, blue border, red button and “EMERGENCY” in red letters.

“We're looking to standardize the availability of our security functions,” Novak said. “We're putting them near entrances and elevators or at opposite ends of stairwells.”

SRU Police Chief Kevin Sharkey said the emergency phones have a huge impact in his officers' ability to reach a scene quickly.

He said adding more phones creates more specific points that his officers can use as reference for their response.

“It's an added layer of enhanced security for officers to respond to these locations. If they hit that button, even if they can't talk, we know where those locations are at to immediately respond to that area,” Sharkey said. “It would improve our response time to that area.”

Sharkey said the phones have a tangible effect of being usable in added locations, but they also make a statement of safety that could send a message to potential perpetrators.

“I think seeing these around campus will give people a sense of security,” Sharkey said. “I think for somebody who wanted to commit a crime against someone else on campus, knowing that box is there and seeing someone standing there, it could be a deterrent.”

Justin Zackal, communication specialist for SRU, contributed to this article.