Students walking along the Shipley Field footpath last week may have noticed that one of the Public Emergency Response Telephones, better known as blue lights, was not illuminated.
University Police was alerted of the problem Thursday, and a work order to repair the light was placed with the Division of Information Technology on Friday.
The bulb was replaced on Monday, and no other issues were found with the blue light, said Alison Robinson, deputy chief information officer at the DIT.
Although the student Police Auxiliary frequently makes routine checks, not every one of the 331 blue lights is checked every night, University Police spokeswoman Sgt. Rosanne Hoaas said.
“Our student Police Auxiliary will check them periodically,” Hoaas said. “If they notice any issues with them, they send a notification to the Division of Information Technology.”
Although the malfunctioning blue light, located on the walking path adjacent to Bob “Turtle” Smith Stadium, was off, the emergency phone itself was still functional, Robinson said.
A blue light that is off does not necessarily indicate the phone is not working, she said.
“Pick up the phone and you’ll get a dial tone,” Robinson said. “The blue light is just a light bulb and does not indicate phone health. If you’re ever in trouble, pick up that phone.”
This particular blue light was inside a construction zone during the renovation of the stadium, making it inaccessible for several weeks, Robinson said. It is possible that the light went out during this time.
The DIT rarely receives work orders for malfunctioning blue lights, Robinson said. They are fairly durable, and because the phones use analog technology, they do not rely on the university’s network to operate properly.
Robinson encouraged students who observe issues with blue lights to reach out to either the DIT or to University Police with information.
The blue lights “are for you to use,” Robinson said. “If anyone sees an issue, they can always call our help desk, and we’ll be able to get a light processed and fixed.”
