KINGSVILLE (September 6, 2023) — Texas A&M University-Kingsville is enhancing security and support for the university community by launching SafeZone, a unified safety, communications, and wellbeing service from CriticalArc.
Through this implementation, the university aims to deliver more rapid response to calls for assistance across all campus facilities. The service also features strict privacy safeguards based on opting in; SafeZone users’ real-time locations are shared only if they activate an app-based alert or choose to “check in.”
“The University is proud to offer our community this new resource to promote safety and wellness. Safety is always our top priority, and we know it is top of mind for our students and their families. This app allows individual users to call for emergency, first aid, and general help, and it also allows the University to communicate critical messages and alerts to our community about emergencies. I encourage everyone—students, staff, and faculty—to download the free SafeZone app so that we can all do our part to promote safety on our campus,” said Dr. Robert H. Vela Jr., university president.
CriticalArc Chief Operating Officer Darren Chalmers-Stevens said that in an emergency, a person can call 911, but on a campus, it’s often challenging for responders to find an individual’s exact location. “If students call for help with the SafeZone solution, first responders will know who called for assistance, where they are, and the nature of aid required to speed up the response and optimize incident outcomes. With the deployment of SafeZone, Texas A&M-Kingsville is transforming their safety, wellbeing and emergency management capabilities to enhance the student experience and provide Safety Everywhere™ with one easy-to-use solution.”
The key to timely, effective incident response is not only understanding exactly who needs help where, but also knowing what resources are available and where they are relative to the incident so they can be quickly deployed for optimal outcomes. SafeZone provides this capability, in addition to streamlining communications between first responders and those who request help.
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