The newly released SAFE Los Rios app is specifically made for students, faculty and staff at the Los Rios Community College District (LRCCD) to keep campuses safe.
It brings together useful safety tools and resources in one place so people can stay connected and prepared and feel safer on campus. The app is designed to be easy to use, even if a student is new to campus.
One of the main features of the SAFE app is real-time emergency alerts. With this feature, users get notifications about any major incidents on or near campus, like bad weather, lockdowns or any situation that might affect safety. These notifications go straight to your phone so you can stay updated and know exactly what to do if something happens.
Another big feature of the app is how it lets users contact campus security directly. With just a couple of taps, you can call or message campus police or security if you need help, if you see anything suspicious or if you just want to report something. This makes it much easier and faster to reach security. Plus, if you feel uncomfortable reporting something openly, you can even report it anonymously.
The app also has a section with safety resources that give tips and guides on what to do in emergencies. These include advice on things like fire safety, evacuation procedures and personal safety tips. This information is always accessible in the app, which means you can learn about emergency preparedness whenever you want.
A feature in the app is “Friend Walk.” This allows you to share your real-time location with a friend or family member while you are walking on or around campus. All you do is send them a link, and they can track your progress to make sure you get to your destination safely. This feature is especially helpful if you are walking alone or at night because you know someone is keeping an eye out for you, and they can react quickly if you stop moving or something seems wrong.
Another option is the “Virtual Walk Home” feature, which connects you directly with campus security. If you are walking on campus and want some extra security, you can use this feature to have campus security virtually “walk” you to your destination through GPS. This is great if you are in an area that is not very busy, especially at night.
With daylight saving time over, it is getting dark a lot earlier, which is a big deal for those of us who have evening classes at Los Rios campuses, including Sacramento City College. Now, we are often walking to our cars, buses or other transportation, and that can feel unsafe, especially in areas that are not super well-lit.
This extra safety is really important, especially considering some of the crimes that have happened near City College in the past. There have been reports of things like car break-ins and even robberies around campus, especially in the parking lots. There have also been incidents with suspicious people hanging around bus stops or other areas where students walk at night.
To access the SAFE Los Rios app, start by downloading it from your phone’s app store. Once you find it, download and install the app. You can log in with your Los Rios student account to unlock all the features, or you can use it without logging in to access general safety information.
