This year Brandeis introduced new changes to public safety with the Brandeis Safe app. It works together with the Brandeis Emergency Notifications System  to provide real-time updates regarding safety on campus. Introduced on April 30, 2025, the app modernizes safety through features exclusively available on campus. Some of the safety features include an emergency button, safety walks, friend walks, virtual walks with public safety and other campus resources. The app also offers a mobile blue light for individuals walking alone late at night. Additionally, Friend Walk is a resource that allows Brandeisians to send a friend their location with the click of a button. The receiving student is provided a link and map with the sender’s location. If an individual feels unsafe at any time, they can hit the panic button. The virtual walk with public safety allows a person to select a destination and begin their walk instantly alongside a trained member of public safety. This feature is available for up to two hours at a time. 

Moreover, a person can make reports to campus safety at any time with the report-a-tip feature. This resource allows students to support campus safety without having to interfere with dangerous situations themselves. Other features include emergency contacts, which allow students to call Brandeis Public Safety and 911, as well as a map to orient themselves around campus. Additionally, the app sends a text to a close friend or loved one so that they know that the sender is safe if they were previously in danger. The Brandeis Safe app also offers support resources for individuals who may not be in current danger but are at risk due to mental health concerns or other crises. 

Previously, Brandeis relied on blue light emergency phones. This system consisted of tall blue poles with blue lights, keypads and intercoms to immediately contact Brandeis Public Safety. However, this campus safety feature is outdated compared to many technological advancements Brandeis has made in recent years, such as mobile device two-factor authentication and digital student ID cards. Moreover, many schools in the nation, including Ohio University and the University of Tampa, have switched to a mobile safety system. Brandeis is following in their footsteps with the recently developed free app, which gives instant access to emergency alerts and direct contact with Brandeis Public Safety from anywhere on campus. Brandeis’ shift away from blue light phones reflects its transition to a more contemporary safety system that ensures quicker, more efficient and more accessible responses to emergencies.

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