SOS Emergency Alert App

September 16, 2014

The months of June and July [2014] have been full of tragedy and stress in Israel, with the kidnapping and murder of three teenage boys.

Israeli police helicopter on patrol Realizing that Israelis were feeling vulnerable and frightened by these unpredictable events—several app developers worked quickly to make products that will help Israelis feel a bit safer and better informed.

Within 72 hours of the June 12 abduction of three Israeli teens, the nonprofit emergency medical response service, United Hatzalah, unveiled a public “SOS” emergency alert app for Android and iPhone that dispatches a distress call to the Israeli police and its own dispatchers, complete with GPS location of the caller.

The fast development work was accomplished by NowForce, the Israeli company that built the LifeCompass GPS-oriented technology for United Hatzalah several years ago to help cut response time by locating and alerting volunteer medics closest to the emergency scene.

The existing technology functions in Hebrew and English, so those were the two languages in which SOS was launched, but an Arabic version soon followed. “We want everyone in Israel to be able to benefit from it,” says Maisel, noting that United Hatzalah’s 2,400 volunteer medics include religious and secular Jews, Christians, Muslims and Druze. 

Anyone living in or visiting Israel can download the app at the website sos.nowforce.com. Registration must go through the website to ensure that users enter emergency contact information, explains Maisel. “When the app is activated, it dials the police and pops up in our dispatch center to give us the user’s location, phone number and additional information. At the same time, the app automatically sends a text message with a link to Google Maps to the contacts entered by the user upon registration.”

Maisel says organizations and communities in Israel and other countries have approached United Hatzalah about implementing the SOS app. An action plan to work with all interested communities is in development. He stresses that the app is intended to remain free of charge. All costs are borne by philanthropists.

Source: Excerpts of an article by Avigayil Kadesh, Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs

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