There are 240 million 9-1-1 calls placed every year. Of these calls 70% are placed from mobile devices that do not provide exact locations to emergency dispatchers. RapidSOS, a new RAINN partner, wants to change that.

RapidSOS is an emergency technology start-up that wants to change personal safety and family connectivity. They developed the Haven app to provide individuals with enhanced access to emergency services. When it comes to sexual violence, they also want to ensure that when a survivor needs help, emergency dispatchers are able to reach their exact location quickly and safely.

Haven makes it possible to send important data to 9-1-1 in situations where it may be dangerous or difficult to speak through the “Can’t Speak” function. When a user taps “Can’t Speak,” their location and relevant information is automatically transmitted to the dispatcher, without the need for an audible conversation. Additionally, a user can optionally add emergency contacts to be informed when an alert is triggered.

With one tap on Haven, the app connects the user with the nearest dispatch center anywhere in the contiguous United States, while providing a voice connection and a data pipeline to 9-1-1, to transmit:

• Text messages (Haven speaks the text message if the dispatch center does not have the capability to receive texts)
• GPS location
• Type of emergency
• Relevant medical and demographic data

As part of the partnership, RapidSOS will offer one year of free access to the RapidSOS Haven app to people who are subscribed to RAINN’s monthly newsletter.

“From the moment we began building the RapidSOS technology three years ago, our goal has always been to connect members of the community to the help they need,” said RapidSOS co-founder and CEO Michael Martin. “This partnership with RAINN allows us to reach a community that can dramatically benefit from using the Haven app.”

“It is vital that people everywhere can reach help as quickly as possible when they are at risk of sexual violence or have experienced sexual violence,” said Scott Berkowitz, president of RAINN. “Especially valuable for people in dangerous situations is the ability to reach help discreetly through Haven.”

Sign up for RAINN’s newsletter and gain access to one year of Haven.

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.