ISU encouraging use of personal safety app on-campus

Idaho State University is doing away with the old – the 20-year-old blue light emergency poles, that is. With their removal, ISU Public Safety is encouraging the use of the personal safety app RAVE Guardian.

The app has these key features: a mobile panic button, a tip line and a virtual escort service. The escort service allows you to set a timer for how long you expect to get somewhere. If you don’t deactivate the timer within the time frame, public safety will automatically be notified.

Users also have to put in a list of emergency contacts, as well as personal details like what you look like and medical conditions.

Lewis Eakins, the public safety director, said the switch was needed for ISU students, faculty and staff to have quicker communications with the public safety office. Also, because no one really used the poles.

“To everyone’s memory here, they have never been used for an emergency situation. The only time they have been used is when we have a large group of children on our campus for some special event, and then some child presses the button,” Eakins said.

Any questions about downloading, activating or using the app can be directed to ISU Public Safety at 208-282-2911.