CSM Encourages Students, Faculty, Staff and Community to Download CSM Safe App During National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month and the College of Southern Maryland (CSM) encourages students, staff, faculty and the members of the Southern Maryland community to download the CSM Safe App to their smartphone devices to remain updated in times of a campus emergency.  

The CSM Safe App main features include campus alerts, providing notifications for location-specific issues including closures; offline emergency plans for a variety of incidents; and emergency contacts listing important phone numbers for on-campus and off-campus assistance.  

The ‘Report a Tip’ function allows informational tips to be reported via form, phone, or text. Videos and photos can be included, and users can report information anonymously. And the app provides access to support resources, allowing for quick access to support resources to help students with counseling, academic counseling or reporting any type of suspicious incidents.  

Being prepared for an emergency “can reduce fear, anxiety, and losses that often accompany disasters,” said Gary Lewis, executive director of public safety and preparedness at CSM. “Communities, families, and individuals should know what to do in the event of a fire and where to seek shelter during a tornado.”  

Being prepared can also reduce the negative impact of disasters and sometimes avoids the danger altogether, he added.  

Natural disasters in Maryland can come in many forms – tornadoes, flooding, hurricanes, severe thunderstorms, extreme heat, and extreme cold.  

CSM community members can download the free and interactive CSM Safe App for iOS (Apple) and Android devices. Once the CSM Safe App is downloaded, users can customize the app to share information pertinent to individual locations and needs. The app was launched in 2019.  

Those without internet access or smart phones can contact the CSM Public Safety and Preparedness Department at any of the CSM campus locations. To contact campus security at the La Plata Campus, call 301-934-7888 or from a campus phone on ext. 7909. Contact campus security at the Leonardtown Campus at 240-725-5333 or from a campus phone on ext. 5333. To contact campus security at the Prince Frederick Campus, call 443-550-6033 or from a campus phone at ext. 6033. At the Regional Hughesville Campus, security questions or concerns can be directed to 301-539-4898.