Safety a MUSST with new mobile app

A new mobile app developed by McMaster will allow students, faculty and staff to keep safety and security information in the palm of their hand.

The McMaster University Safety, Security and Transit app — or MUSST, for short — gives users the ability to instantly call campus security, the Student Walk Home Attendant Team, the Emergency First Response Team and 911.

It also gives users one-touch dialing to local taxi companies, up-to-date schedules for public transit and the ability to check on the time of the next HSR bus.

The idea was borne out of discussions with Queen’s University, which uses a similar mobile application.

“The safety and security of the McMaster community is of utmost importance to the University,” says Phil Wood, associate vice-president and dean of students. “The MUSST app is one more way to ensure the entire community has access to campus safety information and tools.”

The app includes direct links to resources on a number of topics, including mental health, accessibility and bullying, campus lockdown procedures and the sign-up page for the University’s emergency SMS text messaging system.

McMaster uses a number of tools, in addition to the MUSST app, to help keep the University community safe.

A siren system is used to signal a campus lockdown, while an emergency SMS text messaging system sends messages directly to the mobile devices of current students, faculty and staff.

Red assistance phones are placed throughout campus, and LCD screens — capable of transmitting both visual and audible messages — have been installed in each academic building.

The app is available on iTunes and Google Play, and works on any BlackBerry with a touch screen.