Rave Guardian is a free smartphone app dedicated to providing safety resources to students with a few clicks. Wichita State is pushing for students to download this app as a part of a commitment to campus and overall safety for students. 

“It is honestly one of the faster ways to receive alerts,” Captain of WSU Police Dept. Kyle Garwood said. “That’s just because of the way that system can push it through its own network versus trying to send out 16 thousand text messages at once.”

Upon downloading Rave Guardian, users will be prompted to create an account. By adding their WSU-affiliated email address, users will be added to the WSU Police Department’s jurisdiction. Safety alerts will be routed to the “inbox” on the app. 

“It ties into our emergency notification system,” Garwood said. “It’s the same company.” 

One of the app’s more unique aspects is the “Guardian” feature. One can select a “guardian” that will be notified in the case of an emergency. The app’s “safety timer” feature sets an interval at the user’s request. At the end of the interval, the user’s selected guardian will be notified. The selected guardian is also able to virtually walk with the user through campus or elsewhere. 

“With Guardian, users can create a profile of information about themselves, and invite family and friends to their safety network,” WSU said via wichita.edu. “It’s like having an emergency blue light system and a trusted friend with you at all times.”

In addition to the guardian feature, Rave Guardian also includes other safety inclusions, such as easy access to mental health services, a list of emergency phone contacts and a way to text campus police with a tip or a safety concern. 

“It should be number one on your downloads just because of the availability of info,” Garwood said. “Get in it, and check it out.”