EXp Realty has launched a new check-in feature for agents on Facebook that allows them to request emergency help in a crisis, the brokerage announced Wednesday.
The tool, called Safety Check for Workplace by Facebook, allows agents, brokers and other real estate professionals to check in online during a natural disaster, crisis or other emergency. If something happens and they feel unsafe, they can also notify their colleagues and call for emergency assistance.
Over the past few years, several tragic high-profile incidents have put agent safety at the forefront of industry discussion. Among other tips, experts suggest agents who go on showings alone always keep at least one other colleague informed of where they’re going.
Safety Check, which operates on the larger Facebook Workplace platform, also sends supervisors and selected colleagues notifications about the status of agents who are out during a crisis. It can further be used to conduct practice drills.
At the moment, eXp Realty has more than 14,000 agents across the U.S. and Canada.
“We hope the need for Safety Check is limited,” said Mitch Robinson, eXp Realty’s senior vice president of marketing and communications, in a prepared statement. “But we’re committed to making sure eXp Realty agents, brokers and staff are more connected and stronger when we need each other the most.”
UPDATE: This article has been updated to reflect the fact that Safety Check is used during emergencies.