The apps that could save your life
Last year, there were floods, earthquakes, hurricanes and bushfires, and many people most probably found themselves in situations where they were lost, scared and ill informed. Imagine if they had had a rescue or emergency app that could have helped them in their time of need?
Around the globe, smartphone ownership is rapidly increasing, and so are the number of applications being created to help people carry out their everyday activities. People are using their smartphones to communicate and connect with places, people and things, so it’s no surprise that search and rescue groups, paramedics, firefighters and police officers are creating and supporting apps that can potentially save lives.
One app, suitably called RESCUE, is a personal locator beacon and protection system that was recently launched by RnD Precision Imaging Inc. Its features include a loud audio alarm, an automatically programmed emergency services phone number retrieved from a database covering more than 200 countries and regions, a push-button flashlight and a GPS locator that is accurate to just a few meters.
Another app, called DisasterWatch, was recently released by the Australian federal government to provide quick and easy access to information about emergencies and disasters across the country.
The app helps reduce unnecessary calls to the triple-0 network made by people who are simply requesting further information about ongoing disasters.
Other emergency applications now being downloaded and used in smartphones offer first-aid information and a wide range of other instructions for handling emergency situations – informing, connecting and helping people with the big decisions that must be made in a crisis.
These are the apps that the smartphone user should never be without.
Written by Erik Kruse
Erik´s specialties are future consumer demands, industry dynamics and how the ICT world will evolve over the next 10 years. At Ericsson, he has worked on company strategies and research into future trends and requirements.
