Code Blue launches “Utah State Safe” App

Code Blue is providing a new app to Utah State University students, parents, faculty and other employees. The app will provide multiple resources including campus maps, emergency contacts and safety plans.

Utah State’s Code Blue is a system where students are notified of emergencies or safety concerns. This year it is expanding to include an app called Utah State Safe. The app has several features that the university believes will benefit students.

One of the best features, according to Director of Crisis Communications and Issues Management Amanda DeRito, is that students will receive an immediate push notification when an emergency occurs. That push notification will be attached to a link where students can get details about the emergency.

“One of the more difficult things with the old system is the limited amount of information we could give students,” DeRito said. “We could only send out an email or alert with basic messages. Now students will be able to click on a link in the push notification or text message, where they will go to get updates of the event.”

DeRito said they were able to observe this firsthand on Sep. 5, when a timely warning notice was sent out about a sexual assault incident.

“People were able to get the information instantaneously,” she said.

Additionally, the app has a map of campus and a list of emergency contacts. Contacts include the USU Police Department and a non-emergency number for the Logan Police.

One of the features on the app also includes an Emergency Plan button. This feature instructs students on what to do in the event of an armed aggressor. For example, there are specific things listed that a student should do when they need to run, hide or fight an aggressor. The app also gives suggestions of what to do if the aggressor is not near you, such as calling loved ones to let them know you are alright.

One of the newest installments for Utah State Safe is a function that allows one friend to monitor another friend as they walk home.

“Let’s say you don’t want to get an escort, but you are afraid of walking home. All you have to do is send your location in real-time to a friend, and they can watch you walk home,” DeRito said.

Students also have the option of allowing someone from dispatch to monitor them as they walk home.

Other support resources in the app include mental health, sexual misconduct and bias incidents.

Parents are now able to download the app which, according to DeRito, will make things less frustrating for parents, as they have often relied on their students to sign up for Code Blue for them.

Independent contractors, professors and other university employees will also have access to the app and can get more information by going to alerts.usu.edu.

“This will help to put people at ease,” DeRito said. “Independent contractors, for example, will now have direct access to Code Blue and not be left in the dark when safety concerns arise.”

DeRito also mentioned  the university is considering doing an opt-out only system for future classes. This would mean that students are automatically signed up for Code Blue when they enroll and will have to take steps to opt out if they do not want to receive notifications.

Code Blue is partnering with AppArmor to create Utah State Safe.

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