KNOXVILLE — The University of Tennessee is implementing a new safety app on campus.
UTK is transitioning from its Guardian safety app to a new app called 'LiveSafe' that's being adopted by other college campuses across the country.
The app connects students with campus police to allow them to immediately call 911 or report incidents from their phones, including sending anonymous tips directly to UTPD.
The app has a number of functions, and in emergency situations can be used to call or message campus police and provide a GPS location to allow them to respond quickly.
The app also features a 'SafeWalk' feature that lets users share their location with friends and family in real time as they traverse campus, as well as send alerts to people they choose to let them know they've arrived safely.
Other features allow students and faculty to find nearby fire, police and medical services. It also maps out blue light phone locations on campus and provides emergency and non-emergency alerts active on campus.
While most of the functions are specific to campus, some of the features still work off campus. The app allows students and faculty to find other campus safety resources, including the Office of Title IX, student health services, facilities services, the counseling center and bus routes.
The LiveSafe app is available for download on Apple and Android phones. Once downloaded, users need to verify a method of contact and connect to the UTK campus service with their UT NetID.