Planning on studying or working late on campus? Nervous about walking home on your own? Download SafeZone today – our mobile app designed to keep you safe and give you extra peace of mind on campus and at university accommodation.
The SafeZone app is free to download and easy to use. You can use it to:
- Check in any time of day – share your location so we know where you are on campus if you’re working or studying alone
- Quickly and discreetly call for assistance – whether it’s for first aid or in an emergency
- Report something – if you see something that isn’t right, you can report it anonymously through the app
- Stay in the know – receive notifications directly to your phone if there’s an incident on campus
- Access wellbeing assistance – the app has a handy list of wellbeing resources and key contacts, all available at your fingertips
Any student or staff member can use the SafeZone app to get assistance on campus. The app will directly connect you to the appropriate Campus Safety and Security team member or first responder for that area, who will provide the assistance you need.
If you need assistance outside the University campus, the app will still help by providing your GPS location and prompting you to call 999 in the event of an emergency.
How to use SafeZone
In an emergency
Tap the red ‘Emergency’ button to send an alert to our Campus Safety and Security teams if you or others are in danger. In a life-threatening emergency, first call 999 – then alert us through the app.
To summon first aid
Whether it’s a scraped knee, a non-emergency allergic reaction, or anything else that requires minor medical assistance, press the green ‘First Aid’ button.
Unlike with the app’s other functions, you’ll have a few seconds to cancel the alert if you’ve pressed it in error. Once the alert’s been sent, your location will be shared with our Campus Safety and Security teams, who will advise you on next steps.
To call security
Instantly connect to our Campus Security team by clicking the blue ‘Security’ button with the phone icon. This is the button to click if you see something that doesn’t look right on campus, someone behaving suspiciously, or there’s a situation that you feel uncomfortable with. After a quick call to assess the situation, the team will come out to assist you.
To boost your wellbeing
Safety and security aren’t all about what’s going on around you; your wellbeing is just as important. If you need someone to talk to or would like to find out what support is available for you at the University, click on the yellow ‘Wellbeing Assistance’ button. From here you can:
- Call UB Heard, our 24/7 confidential listening and support line
- View top tips and resources to support your wellbeing
- Discover the on-campus services available to help you
- Call the Samaritans for crisis support
To check in
If you’re staying late on campus or work alone, you may want to share your location so someone knows where you are. You can do this through the ‘Check In’ person icon on the right-hand side of the options bar. You can then ‘check out’ when you leave campus. This will not raise an alert.
Alternatively, you can choose the ‘Check In Timer’ function (person icon with a clock), which will send an alert if you do not check out within the timeframe you’ve entered. You can set the app to automatically check you in and out by changing your settings from the menu bar.
To report something
Notice suspicious activity? Worried about someone’s immediate mental health? Report it anonymously through the app using the ‘Report Something’ button.
You can report:
- Assault, abuse, and harassment
- Disturbance
- Mental health
- Suspicious activity
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Other (non-emergency only)
View service scope
In the top right-hand corner of your app, you will see a map icon. Use this to see the areas that are covered by the app and our Campus Security and Safety teams.
Download SafeZone
Search for 'SafeZone' on Google Play or the App Store and download. Alternatively, you can scan the QR codes on this leaflet to get started.
Open the app and enter your University of Birmingham email address. You’ll then be prompted to enter your password for your main University account. Once you’ve done this, finish creating your account by submitting your name and phone number and selecting which group you want to be a part of (staff or students).
To help you get the most from the app, we recommend:
- Allowing SafeZone to use your location so you can raise alerts
- Granting Bluetooth permissions to enhance location accuracy across campus
- Granting push notification notifications, so you receive important information
Discover the unique features of the SafeZone app
Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Mark Sterling
“The SafeZone App is widely used across universities to provide reassurance on safety. Introducing SafeZone here at the University of Birmingham gives staff and students a direct link with Community Safety and Security and will really enhance our 24/7 security service.”