As someone who often wanders through empty car parks on weeknights, strolls through Civic with girlfriends late at night and waits for public transport alone, I am no stranger to that feeling of dread when you don’t quite feel safe in an otherwise low risk, everyday situation. I know those moments of uncertainty, when you aren’t sure if you are in real danger, or if you are simply letting your imagination take over.

A quick look at ACT Policing’s quarterly crime statistics report for 2014 will tell you that whilst Canberra might feel like a relatively safe place to live, serious crimes such as assault and sexual assault occur quite regularly. This year, between July and September alone, over 3000 accounts of assault, sexual assault and offences against a person were reported in the ACT. I note this fact with no intention of fear mongering, but in the hopes that it will help people make safe decisions when out and about.

Today, there are a lot of useful resources available to help members of the public stay safe and as smartphones become more common, a number of personal safety apps have made their way onto the market. One app in particular is CUSafe; a personal safety app developed by Canberra based security company, Security1 (S1). I sat down with Kestine Kenny from S1 to find out how their new app works and how it may assist you in those moments of uncertainty.

How does the CUSafe app work? 

When activated by the user, the CUSafe app sends an emergency alert to the S1 control room from the users smartphone requesting security assistance. This alert sends the user’s CUSafe account details and GPS location to the S1 control room. The GPS location is updated every 20 seconds from the time the alarm is activated to ensure the location of the user remains current.

CUSafe client activates the ‘panic’ mode, an alarm is sent to the S1 monitoring room, reaching S1 staff members who will action your duress.

Upon receiving the emergency alert, the S1 control room will take the following steps to ensure the safety of our client:

1. S1 contacts the client’s phone to retrieve the ‘safety word’ and seek further guidance.When a client registers his or her CUSafe account they are required to set up a ‘safety word’, which is only known by the client and S1 staff. In the event that the CUSafe emergency alarm is activated and the client is able to answer his or her phone, the client is required to repeat the ‘safety word’ to S1 staff to deactivate the alarm.
2. S1 attempt to contact the CUSafe client’s emergency contacts.If the client is unable to provide the ‘safety word’ or answer their phone to deactivate the alarm, S1 will then contact the client’s contacts to alert them of the clients alarm and location. The client’s emergency contacts are set up upon registration of the client’s CUSafe account. When contact is successfully made, S1 will follow the instructions given by the client’s emergency contact to resolve the issue.
3. S1 sends a guard to your location for assistance.If S1 is unable to reach any of your emergency contacts, they will send a security guard to the client’s last registered location.

These steps are standard procedure for all CUSafe clients, but can be tailored to meet individual requirements.

How did the idea of the CUSafe app come about?

It appeared there was gap in the marketplace for an affordable, monitored solution to help everyday people with personal protection…The Directors of S1, who developed the CUSafe app, saw a need for a personal safety app that anyone could access at all times.

Does CUSafe do anything unique that other personal safety apps currently on the market might not?

The ‘Watch Me’ and ‘Panic’ services are unique to the CUSafe app.When the CUSafe client activates the ‘Panic’ mode, an alarm is sent to the S1 monitoring room, reaching S1 staff members who will action your duress.

For times when you don’t quite feel safe, but don’t need immediate assistance, the ‘watch me’ mode allows users to set a countdown timer for the period you expect to be in a particular location. If the timer is not deactivated in time, the alarm is activated and our S1 monitoring room put into place the process you have instructed.

For times when you don’t quite feel safe, but don’t need immediate assistance, the ‘Watch Me’ mode allows users to set a countdown timer for the period you expect to be in a particular location. If the timer is not deactivated in time, the alarm is activated and our S1 monitoring room put into place the process you have instructed.

Who should use the CUSafe app?

The app has been designed for any iPhone or Android User.  CUSafe is ideal for lone workers, property managers, real estate agents, hospitality workers, university students, shift workers and people commuting alone or at night.

How does this app help the broader community? 

CUSafe allows any individual living in the Canberra community to feel safe. It is a product that will give potential victims the chance to protect themselves from a potential predator.

For example, my nephews recently had their school bus cancelled and now have to stop at the public bus interchange to get home.

When travelling to and from school, my nephews set the CUSafe ‘Watch Me’ service, which sets a timer covering the time it takes for them to get from the bus interchange to their home. They note in the app that they are going home from school.

If they don’t turn the timer off within the set timeframe, the CUSafe app alerts our local control room, where we can put into place a process to ensure their immediate safety, if needed.

CUSafe gives parents and caregivers peace of mind, knowing that their children have someone watching their back when they can’t.

How much is the CUSafe app?

CUSafe starts at $7.50 AUD per month, depending on how long you plan on subscribing for. All subscriptions to the CUSafe app allow clients to use the app as much as they like, whenever they need.

Aside from having the CUSafe app ready to go on their phones, do you have any practical advice for our HerCanberra readers for staying safe this New Year? 


1. Safety in numbers
2. Let someone know where you are and what your plans are when headed out for the night
3. Always be aware of your location and surrounds
4. When out, never leave your drink unattended, even to use the bathroom
5. If it can be avoided, do not walk home alone at night, especially when intoxicated

The essentials

What: CUSafe personal safety app

Where: Available on iTunes for Apple users and Google play Android users

Web: The CUSafe website or call 02 6122 2733 for more details.