Students at Florida State University will have a new resource at their disposal as they return to campus for the start of the fall semester in the form of the new Seminole Safe app.
According to an official university release, the Seminole Safe app is a veritable toolbox of resources that enables anyone headed to campus -- student or otherwise -- to leverage a range of valuable information.
The Florida State University Police Department and university Emergency Management have partnered to deliver the new app. With regards to student safety, the university hopes the app will be an effective resource in times when a police officer isn't present.
Seminole Safe alerts students of campus crimes, as well as provides relevant resources in cases of emergency. Users can also send their location to a friend, enabling them to track the user as they're on their way to class or walking back to a dorm. Dubbed "Friend Walk," users can report behavioral concerns such as sexual misconduct or stalking, or trigger a call to emergency officials if necessary.
"The cops can't be everywhere, and the more information you give people about safety and we are things occur are pushing information out to them if something is going on the better than they can make decisions for themselves about their safety," says FSUPD Deputy Chief Jim Russell.
Seminole Safe also provides freshman-friendly information designed to facilitate the move-in process. The app will provide users with directions to buildings and unloading zones, as well as designated parking areas and shuttle bus routes. Beyond freshman move-in, the app's map function displays campus parking lots, blue light phones, and a detailed layout of campus buildings for all campus visitors.
The app is free to download and is available for both iOS and Android devices.