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Rave Guardian, a campus safety app, was put into use by Public Safety in the fall semester of 2010. But not many students have made use of the Rave system since its establishment at Quinnipiac.

Quinnipiac’s Parking and Transportation Coordinator Shanon Grasso explained that Rave Guardian is like “you’re walking with your own blue light system.”

“Why do students not like Rave Guardian? They think that [Public Safety] will be tracking them. It’s absolutely not true,” Grasso said. “It’s only when you activate the system that we have any idea where you are.”

The app is powered by Smart911, a national safety database that allows emergency personnel and other safety responders help during an urgent situation.

Rave Guardian serves as a connection between Quinnipiac students and the Department of Public Safety. First, students create a safety profile where they can log information such as where they live, medical conditions they may have, their photo ID, etc. If a student is ever in danger, their Safety Profile is displayed to Public Safety as well as Smart911 centers in the area.

Using the Easy Emergency Communication: Panic Button option, students use a pre-programmed number to call Public Safety if they are in a dangerous situation, and will be directly connected to an officer. The number to call is logged in during the set-up process when students first download the app.

Rave Guardian also features a “Tip Texting” service where students can send in images and texts anonymously to receive tips from safety officials.

Sophomore Ally Foltiny said she will use the app because of its effectiveness.

“I would definitely use it,” Foltiny said. “It seems really effective and like an easy way to get your medical and emergency info out there in the case of an emergency.”

Foltiny also said if Public Safety could check where she was at any given time, she probably wouldn’t use it.

In addition, Rave Guardian offers a “Personal Guardians and Safety Timer” where students can appoint people such as their parents, friends or roommates as their “Guardians.” When setting the timer, students estimate how long it should take them to get from their departing place to their destination. These “Guardians,” as well as Public Safety, will be alerted if something goes wrong along the way.

Students are instructed to disable the timer when they arrive at their destination and are safe. If the timer is not disabled before the estimated time is up, Public Safety and your “Guardians” are notified right away.

Sophomore Jenelle Cadigan said the app makes sense for Quinnipiac students because of the safest college ranking by University Primetime in 2014.

“I think it’s really cool. Especially because we were rated the safest campus in the country so I think that we should be up-to-date with safety apps if we want to stay that way,” Cadigan said.

Public Safety, along with the Emergency Management Team, plans to get the message out to students about using this program as often as possible. Email blasts will be broadcasted to the entire campus with the hopes of gaining some users.

“We are going to be doing a campaign with posters around the school as well,” Grasso said.

Grasso is fully supportive of Rave Guardian being used on campus.

“We [Public Safety] do believe in it. As a mom, I believe in it. I think every student should have it because you never know when you might need help,” she said.

She encourages students to stop by her office in the Public Safety Department in Irmagarde Tator Hall to learn about Rave Guardian or visit RaveGuardian.com. Information can also be found on the QU Mobile Page on MyQ. The app can be downloaded for free through the app store.