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Dublin City University Rolls Out SafeZone

Dublin City University
News Release
November 19th 2017

New DCU safety app supports staff and students across the world

Technology enables users worldwide to link in with university emergency supports

First Irish university to roll-out SafeZone

Dublin City University is providing emergency supports to staff and students anywhere in the world through a mobile safety application called SafeZone which links users with the University emergency response team.

Provided by technology firm CriticalArc, the app, which DCU staff and students can download at no cost, will enable students and staff to connect with DCU’s emergency response team if urgent help is required, first aid is needed or an emergency occurs.

DCU is the first university in the Republic of Ireland to roll-out SafeZone, which will be available to a student and staff population of almost 19,000 across the Glasnevin, St Patrick’s and All Hallows campuses. The app is also of use to University staff and students who are working and studying overseas.

SafeZone is already in use in higher education institutions across the UK, Australia and the United States.

Users can alert the University emergency response team by activating the app on their smartphone and by pressing either one of three alert button options (Emergency, First Aid or Help). The location of the user is then sent to security personnel who can coordinate to provide the necessary help, quickly and effectively.

As the system is privacy protected, a user’s location will never be shared, unless they activate an alert for help, within designated zones.

The SafeZone app also enables people who are working alone or out of hours, for example in a research laboratory to check in with the campus response team by activating a “check-in” feature on the app which then sends their location and ID to campus response.

In addition, SafeZone can be used in emergency situations or critical incidents by Emergency Response teams to issue information and updates to users. Furthermore, in the event of a critical incident overseas, the SafeZone app will allow the University campus emergency response team to check in with all registered users, account for their whereabouts and liaise with the relevant emergency services in the affected country.

President of Dublin City University, Prof Brian MacCraith said:
“Staff and student well-being and safety is of the utmost importance and the SafeZone technology further enhances both of these for staff and students across our campuses and while overseas, traveling, studying and working at other institutions.

DCU is now a multi-campus environment and, by deploying SafeZone in conjunction with our existing campus emergency response team, it will enable us to respond, even more effectively and efficiently to students and staff who may need emergency support.”

DCU Student Union President Niall Behan said:
“We are pleased that DCU has become the first university in Ireland to use SafeZone, across all of our campuses and also for staff and students studying and working overseas. The use of this technology in conjunction with our campus emergency response team, will further enhance the DCU experience.”

Glenn Farrant, Chief Executive Officer, CriticalArc, noted;
“DCU is the first customer in the Republic of Ireland to demonstrate a visionary approach to safety and security by adopting SafeZone. As well as creating a safer learning environment for students and staff, SafeZone offers DCU a raft of benefits including boosting competitive advantage to prospective students, supporting international research and teaching as well as streamlining day-to-day activities.”

—Ends—

 

Media Contact
Claire Egan
Communications Officer
Dublin City University
01 700 7810/086 8653 507
Claire.Egan@dcu.ie

 

For more information on CriticalArc and SafeZone go to www.criticalarc.com or https://criticalarc.com/contact/.

 About CriticalArc

CriticalArc provides SafeZone®, the leading safety, security and emergency management solution that helps large organizations keep their people safe and respond more effectively to critical incidents so they can fulfil their duty of care and mitigate risks. SafeZone fundamentally transforms the ability to manage personal safety, security and emergency situations so organizations can respond consistently and more than 50% faster to protect their most important asset, their people. Through real-time visualization, communications and response coordination, SafeZone has established a new benchmark for organizations to protect their community that streamlines operations, is easy to use and quick to deploy.

Headquartered in Sydney, Australia, CriticalArc has offices and operations in the UK and North America providing an international delivery capability and reach. For more information on CriticalArc and SafeZone, please go to www.criticalarc.com.

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