TIMES OF ISRAEL
by David Shamah
June 16, 2014
NowForce is opening up its emergency app to all Israelis, a move that could save lives, says a top police officer
Israel’s NowForce, which develops apps to help rescue personnel deal with emergencies, is setting up a national emergency alert system that will allow any Israeli to register and use its “SOS app” to call for help when they are in trouble. The system is a response to the kidnapping of three Israeli teenagers last week.
According to a top police official, the system could help save lives by making sure that police and rescue workers know that the emergency is a real one that they need to act on immediately. “The app represents the kind of simple and cheap technology, available right now, that can be easily deployed to prevent situations like last week’s kidnappings,” according to Arik Yekuel, the former head of technology for the Israel Police.
The network will go live this week, enabling anyone who registers to immediately alert police, local security officials, family members and emergency response workers when they face an emergency on the road, such as a kidnapping attempt, said NowForce spokesperson Julie Zuckerman. “This app has been available for our subscription clients for several years,” said Zuckerman. “In the wake of the grievous incident, in which three Israeli teens were kidnapped, we decided to release this to the general public for free as a way to boost the personal safety of Israelis all around the country.”
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