By SUSAN JONES
If you have the RAVE Guardian app on your phone, it’s time to make a switch to PittSAFE, the new official public safety app for the University of Pittsburgh.
AppArmor, the underlying technology for PittSAFE, is the next generation of mobile safety apps from RAVE/Motorola Solutions, which Pitt Digital and the Office of Public Safety and Emergency Management have partnered with for nearly 10 years.
Rave Guardian will be gone as of Sept. 10, so you will need to download the new PittSAFE app and remove Guardian from your phone.
PittSAFE is a fully customized, Pitt-branded app, using Pitt’s color palette and custom branding elements.
Staff from University Communications and Marketing provided design elements for the app, the Public Safety and Emergency Management team added relevant content to update info from sections of the outgoing Rave Guardian app and give users added functions, and the Pitt Digital team completed user and functionality testing and supported the app’s build.
The app features:
Virtual Walkhome: Allows app users to track location and contact Pitt Police dispatchers if their trip takes longer than expected
Friend Walk: Allows app users to track location and trigger an alarm if they are in an unsafe situation
I’m OK: Allows app users to send a quick check in email or text message following an emergency from their device to pre-selected contacts.
Mobile BlueLight: Activating this will send your device's location and initiate a call to Pitt Police Dispatch (412-624-2121). Dispatchers will receive your location in real-time and can talk to you on the phone if you chose to initiate the call option.
Safety Toolbox: Has quick tools to call 911, contact Pitt Police, or view Pitt Alerts and campus public safety resources.
PittSAFE can be downloaded from the App Store (Apple) and Google Play (Android). Members of the University can sign in using their Pitt credentials to access authenticated features and a personalized experience.. Guest sign up is available for PittSAFE users who do not have Pitt credentials.
After signing in to the app, users will be prompted to choose the campus that is most relevant to them, including Pittsburgh, Bradford, Greensburg, Johnstown, or Titusville. This allows PittSAFE to provide campus-specific alerts, resources, maps, and information.
Find more information about how the PittSafe app works.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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