ECU Assist: A plan to make campus even safer

New project being tested this spring

Mark Romano, The East Carolinian

March 22, 2006

From March 6 - April 14, Campus Living and the Technology Advancement center will be testing the effectiveness of a new emergency and help location system. With the help of 30 participants consisting of students, staff and faculty in the West campus area, the project will be put into action for the first time on campus.

Crimes such as robberies and assaults have been on the rise on campus and the Assist system provides a much more practical way to contact police. The emergency posts scattered around campus that are currently used to aid students in contacting police are nowhere near as sophisticated or reliable as the new system will be.

"I don't think the emergency posts around campus are all that effective, if someone's going to rob you they're not going to do it 10 feet from one of those, and if you have to run to one, the person's going to get away. They do serve some peace of mind and deter thefts and muggings, but an updated system would make me feel safer walking around campus at night," said sophomore Charlie McCanless.

The Assist system uses a system of transmitters and receivers that will be placed on and around the dorms and buildings of West campus in the initial testing. The way it works is the participants will be given a small transmitter, similar to a keyless entry remote for a car, which alerts police that a person is in distress. This system has many practical features that can enhance safety on campus. In addition to alerting the police, the transmitter is tracked for 15 minutes following activation. Once the signal is received by police, information is presented showing the person's picture and any medical information that the police may need to know. This is another advantage of the system; it not only works for student victims, but also helps people with disabilities that may not be able to reach an emergency post.

The system is called the BOSCH Security Escort System, and has been used by businesses and colleges because of its effectiveness of tracking and locating people even while they are inside buildings.

This system could offer peace of mind for many students all over campus if put in place. When it comes time to decide whether or not to use the system, support safety and support the Assist system.