Emergencies

Microsoft wants us to hear it on the Vine

By Darren Quick

04:00 April 30, 2009 PDT

With the Facebook and Twitter social networking juggernaut rolling ever onwards, Microsoft is looking to jump on the bandwagon with its new social web app called Vine. While sites such as Facebook and Twitter use the global span of the internet to let users connect with people from all corners of the globe, Vine makes its focus local, concentrating on keeping users in touch with family, friends, activities and major events in their community, including disasters and emergencies. Read More

Kiddo proximity alarm system offers parents peace of mind

By Jude Garvey

19:13 February 18, 2008 PST

February 19, 2008 Smart Target has developed a wireless proximity alarm system designed to boost child safety by helping parents quickly locate wayward young ones and keep them within a pre-set "virtual fence". Read More

Communications “Gizmo” to aid emergency response

By Jude Garvey

17:46 December 18, 2007 PST

December 19, 2007 It may look like just another remote-controlled toy truck, but this "Gizmo" has the potential to save lives in disaster response situations. Javier Rodriguez Molina, a 24 year old electrical engineering graduate student and programmer analyst at the UC San Diego's California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), is designing an advanced mobile, wireless communications machine that can venture into environments too dangerous for humans and collect and transmit critical information to emergency personnel. It is hoped that the design platform - which is will not be limited to its current toy-truck guise - can provide real-time assistance in emergency situations such as terrorist attacks, building collapses or hurricanes. Read More

Life saving Nebulus floatation device

By Emily Clark

16:29 November 18, 2007 PST

November 19, 2007 Over 50 deaths per year in the US and Canada are attributed to drowning when snowmobiles and ATVs (All Terrain Vehicles) crash through thin ice. In an effort to significantly reduce the risk of such tragedies occurring, the University of Minnesota in partnership with JTW Associates have developed the Nebulus Emergency Flotation Device - a self-inflating shell that deploys quickly and allows a water or ice rescue to be performed by one person without waiting for back up. Read More

Wristwatch emergency beacon a lifesaver in remote emergencies

By Loz Blain

17:09 July 30, 2007 PDT

July 31, 2007 In remote emergency situations, simply being located quickly by response teams can mean the difference between life and death. For example if you’re trapped under debris and found within 30 minutes, you’ve got a 50% chance of survival. Make that three hours and nine out of ten victims will die. Small, lightweight emergency beacons are a simple solution to this equation, but they haven’t proven economically attractive yet. Now in a socially conscious move aimed at invigorating the industry, a global Russian electronics firm has made its emergency beacon designs and expertise available free of charge. Read More

“Tornado emergency hotline. Please hold.” - ROSETTA emergency comm. kit puts order back in crisis

By Kyle Sherer

July 18, 2007 In this new age where communication, not ammunition, is the deciding factor in warfare. The ROSETTA-911, a rapid response communications system developed by Platforms Wireless International Corporation, has shown that not only is it effective in battles, but can also assist emergency workers in saving lives. The system enables disparate VHF, UHF, 800 MHz radios, cellular and land-line (secured) telephones, and Internet/VOIP to interconnect and communicate with each other, regardless of differences in equipment makes or brands, communications protocols, and/or communications backbone systems. After successfully demonstrating an earlier model to the US Department of Defense in 2006, PWIC has recently announced the readiness of its new and improved version. Read More

Your office has a disaster plan, what about your home?

By Loz Blain

June 13, 2007 Not everybody's a first-aider or emergency specialist - and every time a natural disaster like Katrina or serious fires comes along, it becomes clear how poorly prepared the average household is to deal with these extraordinary situations. Informed's latest pocket emergency guide is a comprehensive and easy to use reference for families in the case of natural disaster, terrorist attack, chemical or biological contaminations. Read More