A New Safety App Trains Children and Parents How To Prepare For Different Emergencies
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Children are the most vulnerable in cases of disasters and emergencies. On January 10, 2022, 17 people, including eight children, were killed in a residential apartment fire in New York. Philadelphia's deadliest fire in over a century also killed eight children that same year. Moreover, an average of 500 children die each year from house fires.
Dr. Jessica Respus, a school owner, has accepted the challenge of raising awareness of the issue. She created a lifesaving app called Life Defender Alert that teaches children and their parents how to prepare and protect themselves in various emergencies, including house fires, break-ins, school shootings, and kidnappings.
High-level protection in one powerful app
Life Defender Alert raises the bar on child safety by making it simple for kids and their families to get the lifesaving tools and information they need to stay safe and respond quickly in an emergency.
The application can automate fire drills, allowing children to practice essential and crucial safety measures in the event of a fire. It also includes reminders for fire drills that parents can use to ensure their children can prepare and respond. Up to 60% of home fire-related fatalities occur in houses without working smoke alarms, which is why the app offers monthly smoke detector checks.
Parents can also implement a window check feature to ensure all windows are locked and secured. This feature allows families to set a recurring alarm that will remind them to check their windows regularly to ensure they are functioning properly. Windows are vital escape routes in a fire and can be the difference between life and death.
Dr. Respus explains, "Simulating an emergency allows parents to ensure their children are aware of what needs to be done to stay safe. It fosters open dialogue, addresses questions, and gives additional follow-up conversations so that children can be fully equipped with the knowledge required to overcome any emergency."
Additionally, the app has real-time tracking capabilities that can save the lives of children in peril. Whenever a child is in a potentially dangerous situation, they can use this function to contact their parents discreetly. Upon receiving such a notification, parents can quickly and easily locate their child, thanks to a map pinpointing their exact location at the message timestamp.
"All features of the app revolutionize safety in today's digital age, making it easy and convenient to access. We built this app to provide absolute protection in the palm of children's hands," Dr. Respus added.
Achieving more with a collaborative effort
Dr. Respus aims to foster collaboration and communication between children, parents, students, teachers, and safety professionals through the Life Defender Alert app. Everyone can work together to create safer communities.
As an entrepreneur, Dr. Respus recognizes that her efforts may only reach so far. However, by uniting a diverse range of stakeholders - including parents, firefighters, police officers, schools, and communities - through the app, the safety message can reach a much larger audience and have a greater impact.
"No one can do everything, but everyone can do something to help protect the most vulnerable – our children," Dr. Respus shares.
With the Life Defender Alert app, Dr. Respus offers an added layer of protection and a quick way to keep children safe, no matter where they are. She hopes that through the app, children can have peace of mind while playing, and parents can rest easy knowing they have a partner in ensuring safety and security.
