NAIT has released a new mobile app to increase safety on campus.
The new NAIT Alert app is an emergency notification software that makes it easy to respond and take the required actions in the event of an emergency.
The program allows users to make an emergency call, send their location in real-time to friends, family members and NAIT Protective Services and access safety procedures and resources. Emergency notifications can also be sent through email, NAIT’s Twitter and emergency website, desktop alerts on NAIT computers and digital signage on campus.
The app was released on Jan. 8 after many months of development.
After researching other post-secondary institutions in Canada and the United States, protective services saw the need for this type of service at NAIT.
“Always in an emergency, communication tends to be a problem. Based on that trend, we decided we needed something effective. Safety is a big driving-force at NAIT, and that’s why we went that route [to create the app],” said Charmaine Gentles of NAIT Protective Services.
NAIT partnered with AppArmor in March 2017 to modify the tech company’s existing software to better suit the institute’s needs.
“We have a dynamic project management team that has worked really hard on this,” said Gentles.
“The goal is to make sure all stakeholders receive the information [necessary] to take immediate action,” said Gentles. “So you can work with us to ensure you’re safe while at NAIT. This app is just one of the ways to do that,” she said.
The team has seen over 2200 downloads of the app thus far and NAIT and NAITsa are encouraging students who haven’t to download it.
In September, NAIT launched a companion emergency website and their first Emergency Preparedness and Safety Week.
– Jory Proft
