DisastersNew mobile app could save lives in earthquakes
A new iPhone app called has been developed to locate loved ones in the world’s earthquake zones during the event of an earthquake; the app, once downloaded, prompts users to enter their own details and those of four friends or family members in order to become their “Buddies”; in the event of an earthquake registering above 5.5, the user’s buddies will instantaneously receive an e-mail displaying a Google map of the user’s location
A new iPhone app called Earthquake Buddy has been developed to locate loved ones in the world’s earthquake zones during the event of an earthquake.
According to Adam Wells, CEO of the development company, the App Collective, the creation of Earthquake Buddy was the result of the need better to assist rescue services after an earthquake.
“We were astonished to learn that most rescue services are often flummoxed at where to start finding missing victims of large earthquakes,” said Wells.
The app, once downloaded, prompts users to enter their own details and those of four friends or family members in order to become their “Buddies.”
In the event of an earthquake registering above 5.5, the user’s buddies will instantaneously receive an e-mail displaying a Google map of the user’s location.
The e-mail is designed to be received prior to any Telco outage and is sent from the cloud so users do not have to rely on the iPhone itself. Buddies also have the option of receiving an SMS, a Facebook post, and a Tweet with the same details.
The technology has been designed for those living in earthquake regions as well as tourists and business people intending to travel to earthquake-prone destinations such as Japan, parts of Asia, and the West Coast of the United States.
The company is introducing the technology through a number of prominent world organizations including the UN, the World Bank’s disaster management arm, and the World President’s Organization.
“Our aim is to introduce the app online and at a ground level through world organizations who can implement their duty of care by ensuring all smartphone users carry this app,” said Wells.
Professor Ed Blakely, known as the global “Recovery Tsar” who led the Hurricane Katrina recovery, has also thrown his weight behind the technology. “The app’s ingenuity, coupled with the harnessing of community engagement, makes this the best rescue app in the world.”
Earthquake Buddy is available from the App Store and is available in English, Spanish, and Japanese. An Android version of the app is due to launch soon.
See a video of Earthquake Buddy here.
