With a long line of people enjoying free hot dogs and cotton candy at the Public Safety department’s open house on Jan. 30 at noon, staff members introduced themselves to the students and shared how the apps “Seasider Guardian” and “Everbridge” could possibly help students be safe.
“The Seasider Guardian is a really cool app, and it can save the students’ lives. I suggest everyone to download it,” said Réka Bordás, a crime prevention specialist of the Public Safety.
Bordás explained how the Seasider Guardian app enables the security office to keep track of the locations of students when they’re outside of campus at night so if a situation happens to them, the security would know immediately and take actions.
“For example, when students walk to their off-campus home late at night or walk from Foodland back to campus, they switch this app on, and then we receive the signal in our office. If they get there safely, they can turn it off. If they don’t, we know right away where they are,” said Bordás.
“We send an officer there. It can save their lives. The university and the security office spent a lot of money on this app. We suggest all students to use it. It can really make a difference,” she continued.
Everbridge is a mass-notification system that informs students of natural disasters including tsunamis and hurricanes or any other emergency situations such as a missile attack and the presence of an active shooter on campus, according to Bordás.
“If you sign up for the Everbridge, you get a notification when any of these things happen,” shared Bordás.
Living off-campus, Gordon Lee, a freshman from Hong Kong studying TESOL education, said the Seasider Guardian is especially useful for people who often walk home late at night. “You know a lot of people study till midnight at the library. Whether you’re a girl or a guy, no one [would] know if you get kidnapped on the way.”
Lee continued to explain the danger of walking home at night. “There can be crazy people. Even if you just live in the Laie Point, that is still quite a way. When you’re walking alone at night, who knows what could happen to you?”
Elysee Hunt, a junior from Arizona majoring in intercultural peacebuilding, said the Seasider Guardian is a great idea and it makes her feel more comfortable to go out at night. “Even if I’m going somewhere off-campus at night by myself, someone else is watching out for me.”
Mindy Harter, a senior from California studying hospitality and tourism management, said she’s satisfied with the school’s safety in general. “They always have security guards out there. I feel pretty safe, and even if I need someone to walk back with, I can just turn on the app.”
The following information about how to access the Everbridge and Seasider Guardian applications were found on publicsafety.byuh.edu
Everbridge Alert
- To receive emergency alerts from BYU-Hawaii's mass notification system, please sign up by following these instructions:
- Step 1: Login to Student Center on my.BYUH.edu.
- Step 2: Click on Self Service > Campus Personal Information > Phone Numbers
- Step 3: Click on 'Add A Phone Number'
- Step 4: Select Phone Type: 'Campus Alert' from the drop-down list
- Step 5: Enter or update your Campus Emergency Alert Phone then click on 'SAVE'
Seasider Guardian App
App features
- Trusted Guardians (security) are given permission to watch over user.
- Safety Timer allows Guardians (security) to monitor user's status and location and be notified in the event the timer expires.
- Anonymous Location based tips and multimedia messaging.
- Emergency call delivers safety profile to security officers.
- Download the App
- Step 1: Search for the "Rave Guardian" in the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
- Step 2: Download/Install the App "Rave Guardian" Rave Mobile Safety.
- Step 3: Open the App, it will prompt you to turn on location services and notifications for your phone and accept all push notifications. Select ALLOW for each of these notifications.
- Step 4: Select "I need an account".
- Step 5: Sign up with your BYUH email address (this will be your username).
- Step 6: Choose and confirm a password.
- Step 7: Enter the Requested Identity and Security Information. (* Recommend using your BYUH email account)
- Step 8: Confirm your account via text message and your school affiliation via email. A confirmation code will be sent to your phone via text message, enter the code into the Guardian App. Open and confirm the email sent to your email account.
- Note: You are asked to create a password and 4 digit PIN. Remember the PIN as you will need it to activate and deactivate your safety timer. The more information you add, the more information the BYUH Public Safety can use if you ever need to use the emergency features of the app.
Writer: Tomson Cheang