New app helps UNC students, staff communicate in emergencies

Students, faculty and others who live and work on or near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can now communicate quickly and, if need be, discreetly, with public safety officials thanks to a new app launched Thursday.

Posted 2:35 p.m. Aug 25, 2016 — Updated 2:35 p.m. Aug 25, 2016

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Students, faculty and others who live and work on or near the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can now communicate quickly and, if need be, discreetly, with public safety officials thanks to a new app launched Thursday.

The LiveSafe app allows users to call or message 911, report suspicious activity anonymously and submit details on their location via the GPS-based SafeWalk feature. Location information can also be shared with family members and friends, even when LiveSafe users are on the move.

“The new LiveSafe app provides an effective way to connect people with the help and resources they need," Derek Kemp, associate vice chancellor for campus safety and risk management, said in a statement.

“LiveSafe, which has a proven track record among many of our peer universities, gives people the flexibility to get help quickly, to let others know where they are at any time and to have ready access to important health and safety information.”

UNC is working with LiveSafe to link its app to the UNC Alert Carolina emergency notification system. Once that happens, it will allow app users to receive all Alert Carolina messages.

LiveSafe, which replaces UNC's RaveGuardian app, is available on both iPhone and Android devices. After downloading the app, users should select the UNC-Chapel Hill affiliation and fill in their user profile, officials said.

The app is available to students, faculty, staff and their families as well as local community members and visitors to campus.

LiveSafe is also available at Duke University.

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