Haven ushers in a new age of emergency communication and personal safety

Haven, from RapidSOS, is a radical evolution of the 9-1-1 service, transforming a singular voice connection into a rich data flow

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RapidSOS

Jun 27, 2016, 06:00 ET

NEW YORK, June 27, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

RapidSOS launches Haven, ushering in a new age of emergency communication and personal safety.

Haven represents a transformation in access to emergency services – from a phone call solely dependent on voice to a robust data connection for voice, text, medical/demographic data
240 million^¹9-1-1 calls are made every year in the U.S.; over 70%²are from mobile phones, which fail to provide exact location or any additional data to emergency dispatchers
Through RapidSOS' Family Connect feature, Haven allows users to see the real-time location of loved ones and contact 9-1-1 for them in an emergency
Game-changing technology developed at M.I.T. paves the way for a complete paradigm shift from emergency response to emergency prediction and preemption

RapidSOS announced today that Haven, a ground-breaking safety and security app, is now available for download on iOS and Android devices. In an emergency, Haven provides dispatchers and first responders with critical information, accelerating response and saving time and lives. Haven represents a transformation in access to emergency services – from a phone call solely dependent on voice to a robust data connection for voice, text, medical and demographic data, and even live video in some parts of the country.

Haven presents a seamless pipeline for data from an individual's device into 9-1-1 dispatcher systems. Haven replaces a singular copper wire voice connection with a robust data link between users and 9-1-1.

With one tap, a user is connected to the nearest dispatch center with voice and a variety of data including GPS location, type of emergency, contact information, and relevant medical and demographic information. Haven also provides universal texting to 9-1-1, a significant breakthrough for the estimated 48 million^³Americans that are deaf or hard of hearing or the 12 million^⁴Americans that face domestic violence every year. Prior to Haven, people could only send text messages to 6%^⁵of dispatcher centers across the country. In addition to transmitting advanced data to 9-1-1, Haven also notifies a user's emergency contacts, ensuring that families and communities are connected and informed when they need it most.

"This launch marks a transformation in access to emergency services globally. The FCC estimates that 10,120 lives^⁶are lost each year when callers can't be located. Those lives could be saved with Haven," said Michael Martin, RapidSOS co-founder and CEO. "This is the first part of a technology platform that will drive a complete paradigm shift from emergency response to emergency prediction and preemption, with the ability to impact millions of lives annually."

"Technology has transformed our lives over the last fifty years, yet when we need technology most, we often rely on infrastructure dating to the 1960s. The Haven app changes the face of emergency communication, transmitting advanced data to emergency services across the country and ultimately in over 135 countries globally – all without any new equipment or cost at dispatch centers," said Nick Horelik, RapidSOS co-founder and CTO. "Developed at M.I.T. and Harvard, our technology platform represents over three years of collaborating with leaders from the telecommunications, emergency service and public safety communities. Haven helps bring an antiquated infrastructure into the twenty-first century and provides dispatchers with better tools to continue the extraordinary work they do."

The Haven app also includes access to RapidSOS' Family Connect feature. For the first time, users can call 9-1-1 on behalf of a loved one, transmitting their location and other relevant information directly to the dispatch center closest to them. In addition to the emergency capabilities, Family Connect allows users to share their location with loved ones, see family members' real-time locations without the distracting interruptions of phone calls or text messages, and easily and discreetly ask family and friends for help.

Haven's advanced data represents the potential to transform emergency outcomes. A major analysis with leading experts showing the ability to drive:^⁷

2-10% reduction in mortality in certain life threatening medical emergencies
$4,000 reduction in property damage per minute faster response
$1,542 reduction in certain healthcare costs

"This technology is a game changer for public safety," said Dennis Patrick, former Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission. " For years the Commission has looked for network and technology improvements to enhance data throughput and reliability. Communicating the location of the caller alone is critical. RapidSOS has met this challenge and more."

Pricing & Availability

The Haven app is available to download at www.RapidSOS.com for Apple and Android devices, as well as from the App Store and Google Play.
RapidSOS' Safer Together Movement provides Haven for free to individuals and families in need.
For those able to afford the service, there are four subscription options available:
- Individual Monthly - $2.99 billed monthly, with 30-day free introductory period
- Individual Annual - $29.99 billed yearly, with a 90-day free introductory period
- Family Monthly - $4.99 billed monthly, with a 30-day free introductory period
- Family Annual - $49.99 billed yearly, with a 90-day free introductory period

About RapidSOS
RapidSOS was formed in 2012 by a team of M.I.T., Harvard, and Stanford grad students who had personal experiences with the challenges of the existing emergency communication infrastructure. Working closely with the 9-1-1 community, tech and telecom companies, and leading investors, RapidSOS is developing technology to predict and preempt emergencies before they occur, dynamically warn people in harm's way, and ensure that first responders are one touch away globally. Learn more at www.RapidSOS.com

^¹National Emergency Number Association. http://www.nena.org/?page=911Statistics
^²National 911 Program. Review of Nationwide 911 Data Collection. http://www.911.gov/pdf/current911datacollection-072613.pdf
^³Hearing Loss Association of America. http://www.hearingloss.org/content/basic-facts-about-hearing-loss
^⁴The National Domestic Violence Hotline. http://www.thehotline.org/resources/statistics/
^⁵National 911 Program. State of 911 Webinar. http://www.911.gov/pdf/Stateof911webinar_December2015.pdf
^⁶The Federal Communication Commision. In the Matter of Wireless 911 Location Accuracy Requirements. 2014. https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-14-13A1.pdf
^⁷Based on actuarial analysis conducted with leading industry experts summarized in RapidSOS Outcomes White Paper