Think of it as a purple-and-green toolbox right at your fingertips. The recently updated NSCAD Mobile App is free and available for download.
The safety app allows the university to communicate directly to users of the NSCAD Mobile App with a bulletin. Scenarios could be stormy weather that makes travel to class unsafe or a power outage at one of the campuses. (Under the settings of your phone, check that you ‘allow notificiations.’)
Developed by AppArmor Mobile and customized for NSCAD University, the app provides easy access to emergency phone numbers, including NSCAD security. It also has numbers for student wellness services such as academic counselling, mental health support and disability services.
Other features of the app include a news feed from Twitter, a map of Halifax showing campus locations, and tools such as a handy flashlight and loud alarm. NSCAD staff and students can also use the camera feature to take a photo of a security or safety concern (for example, a door propped open, a broken window, a leak) and send it directly to NSCAD’s Facilities Management.
Download the app
If you don’t have the app, you won’t receive bulletins from the university. The NSCAD Mobile App is suitable for iPhones and Android smart phones. It can be downloaded for free through the App Store or Google Play. Just search “NSCAD Mobile.”
New feature
A new feature of the app is the “friend walk.” The feature allows the user to keep in contact through email, SMS or messaging through the app. Once a friend accepts the Friend Walk request, the user picks their destination and their friend tracks their location in real time; they keep an eye on them to make sure they make it safely to their destination.
The user has a panic button that alerts their friend of an emergency and also triggers a call to emergency services. If the friend closes the window where they’re monitoring the user, the user is notified and given the option to call emergency services immediately. When the user reaches their destination they end the trip and are no longer tracked by their friend.
It’s an easy way for friend or family to monitor a safe journey home and, if necessary, trigger an emergency call.
For more info on the Friend Walk and how to use it, please see: AppArmor Mobile Safety Blog