FARMINGTON, Maine — This fall, the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) introduced a new “safe app” for students to use on their smartphones, adding a new layer of protection when walking on campus alone.
The university issued a press release on Wednesday stating the new app is available for students and campus community members to use 24/7. The app can be downloaded for free on both iPhone and Android devices.
Features of the app include direct access to campus police and emergency numbers, and a trackable virtual “Friend Walk.” This feature allows an individual to send a message with a link to their friend, which will allow the friend to track the individual until they reach their final destination.
If for some reason the individual needs assistance, there is a button they can hit, which notifies their friend to call campus police, according to the release.
“The Friend Walk feature is great,” Anthony Boyle, a third-year student, said. “You can use it on campus or in town, and it just provides you with another level of comfort and safety.”
The app was developed by Wayne Drake, a former police sergeant with UMF’s Department of Public Safety Campus Police, who used federal support from the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding.
"Through my work on campus with Public Safety, I noticed that when students came to me with safety questions, they often didn't know about our blue light call boxes,” Drake said.
UMF has designated blue light emergency phones and call boxes located around campus that are a direct line to their campus safety office.
“It made me think about a better way to meet students where they are, from an accessibility and tech perspective,” Drake said. “My research led me to an app developer. With their help, we were able to come up with an intuitive product that could address a wide range of student issues."
In addition to safety support, the app also connects students to other campus resources, including Student Life, Facilities Management, Student Health Center, Mental Health Counseling Services, and Information Technology, according to the release.
“Farmington is a safe, welcoming campus but it’s important not to take that for granted. Students today are very tech-savvy and their phone is an extension of their lives," Christine Wilson, vice president for student affairs and enrollment management, said.
"This app puts a powerful tool in their hands and can help raise students’ awareness on ways they can impact their personal safety, and wellbeing and that of the campus community, which is always our goal,” Wilson added.
