2016-2017

News Release

REF NO.: 37

SUBJECT: Memorial University releases campus safety app

DATE: November 9, 2016

A new smartphone app has been released that makes it easy for users to stay informed about breaking campus emergencies at Memorial University.

The app, called MUN Safe, is now available for download for Apple and Android users in the app stores.

MUN Safe allows users to receive instant notifications, alerts and instructions from campus safety and security when on-campus emergencies occur. It is the first point of communication during an emergency.

While primarily intended for students, faculty and staff, the app is available to anyone with an interest in Memorial University.

“Memorial is a safe environment, but it’s always important to be prepared for emergencies,” said Kris Parsons, chief risk officer for Memorial University. “The MUN Safe app makes it really easy to stay connected with what’s happening on campus.”

The MUN Safe app gives users access to a wide variety of tools and resources. Users can quickly contact Campus Enforcement and Patrol, access emergency plans or report a safety or security issue.

The Friend Walk option allows users to choose a contact in their phone to virtually walk them from one location to another. Users send a friend or family member a walk request; that person can then track their movements in real time. If anything goes wrong during the walk, their contact will have their exact location and the user has the ability to immediately make a call to emergency responders. Users can also send a request to Campus Enforcement and Patrol to monitor their walk.

While the initial roll-out features information specific to the St. John’s campus, the Office of the Chief Risk Officer is working on versions specific to Grenfell Campus and the Marine Institute. The same app can be used by users at all campuses, but when new campus-specific iterations are released, users will be able to update their preferences to choose which alerts and information they would like to receive.

The team is also working on new features that will be rolled out in the coming months to further improve campus safety and security.

To download the app, visit here.

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