New App Increases Nighttime Safety

This week an app was released to improve safety measures for those walking in unsafe areas or time of day. College students that walk alone at night may especially appreciate this new “KITESTRING” app.

The app works as a check-up service to ensure that the user arrives at their location safely. Based on the user’s location and duration of trip home, the app will send a text. If the user does not respond back to the text, the app will send a message to the user’s emergency contacts and alert them the user may be in danger.

Most high-risk walking occurs at night and on weekends. Frostburg residents are more than likely seen walking up and down Bowery, College, Maple and others during those times. Many upperclassmen live just off campus on streets running perpendicular to College Avenue and end when they reach Main Street. This app could improve the safety of Frostburg’s residents, something the University has long worked hard on. A review on Bust website calls the app, “Perfect for walking home at night, or feeling safe in any dangerous situation. KITESTRING is like the virtual mom you’ve always needed.”

Kelly Skoczynski, a FSU freshman, thought the app is a great idea, but long over due. She said, “An app like this makes sense. Especially if a person is intoxicated or became under the influence of something without knowing it.” The app is not only for college students, but it can increase the safety of students walking alone. By downloading the app offline, students are recommended to try it out on campuses across the US.

Safety on college campus has long been a priority of universities all over the nation.  Here at Frostburg, we have systems set up to ensure that students feel safe as they enter building and walk from class to class. Blue Light Stations are throughout campus. A phone is located in side of the grey box and an emergency red button dials the campus police.

For the most part, these nighttime safety precautions make students feel safe. Skoczynski lives in the upper quad of campus but many of her later classes are in lower campus. “Seeing those blue lights at night just remind me that even if something happened, and if my phone was dead, there is someone to help.”

These bright lights also caught her parent’s attention when she originally toured FSU. “My dad liked the idea because he was worried about me walking around on my own, because I wasn’t used to that back home,” Skoczynski said.

These amenities on campus are great, but this app could be just another precaution advertised to parents who are concerned about their child. Students who do not feel safe walking alone through campus can also call campus police and be escorted to their dorm or home. The number for non-emergencies is 301-687-4223, and for emergencies is 301-687-4222. Students are encouraged to walk with others while on-campus at night.