 DCU has recently launched Safe Zone, a free app service given around the clock safety reassurance to staff and students. Safe Zone is free to download and allows students and staff to quickly contact security on their phones in cases of emergencies. The app also provides other useful functions such as direct contacts for local emergency services. DCU SU President Niall Behan thinks the app will be very helpful for students in times of distress. You can actually call for first aid if there's an injury on campus. On all three campuses and the students may be on you can call directly for security. You can also check in depending if you're here late. So maybe students might be studying late and even to ensure that the security or staff for example might be here late in the labs. They can just press a button and check in and then it'll send a link to security. We will try and give some incentives throughout the year to get students to download it. But mostly focus on first years every single year for the next four years. Obviously I'll be gone then but the idea is that when first years have it they'll have it for four years as opposed to getting it later on. At the moment it has been quite slow. DCU students believe the app is a useful tool. However, many of them haven't heard about it due to a lack of awareness. I've heard of it. I've seen posters around campus about it but I haven't heard much else. No. Not enough students around would know about it. No. It hasn't been put out marketing wise. It hasn't been done really really well. But they're only in a week and I expected that it would pick up. I think it's a great idea. I know a few people who have been attacked outside DCU so I think it's a really good initiative to have. I definitely think if we brought it and just got it everywhere like just everyone could really have it on their phones. If you never use it, no bother. If you use it three times in your life, great. At least it's there. Safe Stone is accessible in universities across the globe with DCU being the latest one to sign up. Staff and students can sign up to the app on their phones easily using their DCU email now. Michelle Townsend, DCU TV News.