CAMPUS DEBUTS SAFETY APP

Students, staff, and faculty now have a new way to stay safe on campus — URSpiderSafe, the University’s new safety app.

URSpiderSafe replaces the LiveSafe app and is available for download on iPhone and Android devices. The app provides emergency alerts from the University of Richmond Police Department and offers multiple ways to connect with the police, including an anonymous tip function, a mobile blue light button, and a walk tracker, which allows users to share their location with friends or the URPD and have their movement monitored in real time. The app’s safety toolbox includes a chat function to connect the user directly with police and an “I’m OK” function for users to notify friends and family of their location and well-being during emergency situations.

“This app provides a variety of resources for our campus community and is a great tool to providing more safety on campus,” said Maribel Street, director of emergency management.

The app’s campus map highlights walking paths, parking lots, and buildings, while the Umatter Resources function provides quick links to some of the most common support resources, such as CAPS; the Student Health Center; and the Center for Awareness, Response, and Education. Buttons lead users directly to the websites of the Center for Student Involvement and the Center for Equity and Inclusion, and another connects users with UR buses to increase connectivity between campus and the city of Richmond.

“We know people almost always have their phones with them,” Street said. “URSpiderSafe puts safety at your fingertips.”

The app is available on app stores or can be downloaded from preparedness.richmond.edu.