New app acts as student ‘guardian’

Daniel Lederman/Contributing Writer

The Student Government Association has partnered up with FIUPD to deliver the multi-faceted safety app “FIU Guardian” to FIU students.

The Guardian app provides various location-based features to students such as safety timers, a panic button, tip sending, and immediate communication with emergency contacts.

SGA will be purchasing the app from RAVE, a third party that is charge of developing the app, according to Alexander Casas, the FIUPD Chief .

The expenditure will be done at the next SGA University-wide meeting within the next two weeks. When both campuses Student Government Executive Boards meet to formalize the arrangement, the purchase will then be made official.

The app can be found on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store under the name “Rave Guardian.”

Before Guardian was announced, a small beta test was conducted among students.

“The application was purchased prior to January 2017 (don’t remember exactly when, but just prior to) and we used the Spring and Summer semester to beta test and troubleshoot it,” Casas said.

FIUPD will be reimbursed once the formal expenditure has occurred, according to Casas

FIU Guardian has many features, providing students with the ability to call first responders on-site, as well as create a Safety Profile which includes their address, medical details, and personal information that could be used in an emergency, according to the FIU Guardian information page.

The Panic Button allows you to access your Safety Profile and will keep it accessible until you’ve been assisted by the police dispatched to your location. Using the Tips function, students can communicate with FIUPD directly by providing tips through text and images, such as suspicious activity in certain areas of the campus.

Your “Guardians” are those close to you, such as friends, family, and roommates. You can send and receive messages from your Guardians at any time, but they must also have the FIU Guardian app installed.

Uroosa Ullah, a junior majoring in public relations, is excited for the new app.

“I’m actually really excited for this new app. In my opinion, it’ll make students feel safer on campus, especially during night classes,” said Ullah.

The decision to have FIU Guardian, Casas said, is another step towards a more tight-knit security and commends SGA for their effort in the project.

“This is an initiative that directly benefits our student body,” he said, “[and] is an ongoing initiative that will leave a strong legacy of service for this SGA.”

 

Photo retrieved from Flickr.

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