Dorm Safety Kit

The Dorm Safety Kit is built for the dorm room itself, and it works on any campus because it has no stun gun and no pepper spray in it. It's three pieces: a door wedge alarm for nights in the room, a mini personal alarm that clips to a bag or key ring, and a book safe for small valuables. Our College Woman Safety Kit and College Man Safety Kit both include a stun gun and a pepper spray, so the weapons rules some schools apply to those don't come into play here. Housing rules on door devices still apply, so check your housing agreement (more below).

The Three Pieces

• Door Wedge Alarm: Slides under a door to resist it being pushed open, and sounds a 120 dB alarm when pressure is applied to the door stop plate. Flip the switch on the back to arm it. It's for inward-opening doors, uses one 9-volt battery (not included), measures 6⅜" x 1¾", and needs no tools.
• Mini Personal Alarm (black): A 120 dB siren and LED flashlight in a 3" x 1.5" x 0.5" unit. Squeeze both sides to sound it, and it keeps sounding until you press the front button. It clips to a belt, bag strap, or key ring, and three LR44 batteries are included. Remove the plastic tab on the back before first use.
• Hollowed Out Book Safe: A real book with an authentic title and cover. The hollowed-out compartment is 7¾" x 4" x 1" and lined in velvety material. The title varies, and it has no lock.

Setting It Up in the Room

At night

Put the 9-volt battery in the door wedge alarm first. Then set it snugly under the door, and switch it on. It resists the door being pushed open and sounds if pressure is applied to the plate. Alarms work by making noise, and in a dorm there are usually people on the other side of the wall who can hear it.

When you're out

Small valuables such as cash, documents, and jewelry go in the book safe. It has no lock, so it works by being overlooked, not by keeping anyone out. It blends in best on a shelf with books that actually stay in the room.

On the way out

Clip the mini alarm to a bag strap or your keys so it's in hand when you're unlocking a door or walking back at night. Squeeze both sides to sound it, and press the front button to stop it. Try it once so you know how it feels.

Before You Buy: Housing Rules and Doors

This kit has no weapons in it, but housing agreements can still say what's allowed on a door. Some may restrict devices that block a door, so check yours before you order. The door wedge alarm works only on doors that open into the room, so check which way your door opens, and remember it needs a 9-volt battery that isn't included. The kit isn't a substitute for the building's own locks and security, and no alarm can promise someone will respond. It's a set of extra layers for a room in a building you share with other people.

Dorm Kit Questions

Does this kit work on any campus?

It has no stun gun and no pepper spray, so it doesn't run into campus weapons policies. Housing rules on door devices can still apply, so check your housing agreement.

Will the door wedge alarm work on my door?

It's for doors that open inward, into the room. Check which way yours opens before you order. It uses one 9-volt battery, which isn't included.

Does the book safe lock?

No. It hides items by looking like an ordinary book. If you need something that locks, the locking book safe has a key lock and a larger compartment.

What if I also want pepper spray or a stun gun?

Those are in our other two kits, the College Woman Safety Kit and the College Man Safety Kit. Many schools restrict them, so check your school's rules and your state's laws first.

Hopefully a student never needs any of it. But if the alarm ever sounds, it helps to have been the one who set it up and knows how it works.