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Husson Students Using 'First of its Kind' Safety Device

BANGOR, Maine - Students at Husson University can now use new personal safety devices to call police faster in emergencies, such as medical crises and sexual assaults.

The new devices, called POM - or "peace of mind" - can attach to a keychain and connect wirelessly with a smartphone. The college says by just hitting a button, the device will call campus security and reveal the student's location.

Raymond Bissette, Husson's director of safety and security, says the device is the first of its kind. Bissette says while other schools use smartphone apps to call local police, these new devices are less complicated. He says that can save a few extra few seconds, which can be vital in dangerous situations.

"This skips those steps," Bissette says. "And we know that seconds are important in emergency situations, and this certainly saves seconds."

Bissette says the devices are still new. But he says he was convinced of their effectiveness after 30 of Husson's students and staff tested them over the past six months, with no miscommunications. Students can get the devices for a fee of $45 per year.

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