Massachusetts University Gives Students Personal Safety Devices

Massachusetts University Gives Students Personal Safety Devices

In case of an emergency, students can press the POM button three times to alert Simmons Police and Public Safety Department or the nearest 911 center, depending on their location.

Simmons University in Boston is arming students for emergencies by distributing personal safety devices. All undergraduate students are eligible to receive the POM, or Peace of Mind, device, the university said.

According to the Simmons University website's Public Safety page, the POM is a keychain-sized personal safety device that connects to a student’s smartphone via a Bluetooth connection. In case of an emergency, students can press the POM button three times to alert Simmons Police and Public Safety Department or the nearest 911 center, depending on their location.

The Simmons website said that students are not required to use the POM device and will only receive one if they want it. The site clarifies that it is not a tracking device, and the location tracking functionality is only used to see a student’s location if they activate an emergency alert.

The university stresses that the device is one way to contact the police in an emergency, but depending on the situation, a student should use their cell phone or campus emergency phones.

About the Author

Jessica Davis is the Associate Content Editor for 1105 Media.

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