Hot on the heels of revealing it has signed Survivor host, Nico Panagio as a brand ambassador, smart on-demand emergency response services app, Trigger, today announced it has broadened its offering to include the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to its list of service providers.
Trigger is fast becoming an essential lifestyle tool as it also provides subscribers to the app, 24-hour access to an army of private armed response providers, roadside assistance, 911 paramedic services, legal counsel and a trauma counselling helpline.
The NSRI’s goal is to prevent drowning through preventative measures and active rescue around South Africa’s coastline as well as inland rivers and dams in eight out of nine of the country’s provinces. It currently has 42 rescue bases with almost 1500 volunteer rescue crew who do not charge for their service, nor do they charge the people they rescue. The NSRI’s service has been integrated into the Trigger smart app by way of an API. Subscribers will now be able to request assistance through the Trigger app if they experience any difficulties on water such as missing at sea (local coast), boating accidents and man overboard scenarios, as well as swimming incidents.
Of the integration, Head of Operations for the NSRI, Brett Ayres said: ‘The NSRI witnesses a substantial number of needless tragedies each year. Many of these are caused by ignorance, and many because help was simply not fast enough in coming to the person in trouble.’
‘We are delighted to be a part of the Trigger emergency response services solution where important emergency service numbers are available at the click of a button, saving valuable time, as in an emergency, every second counts.’
The Trigger app works off any smartphone, with a number of affordable monthly or annual subscription plans. Because Trigger has recognized that not everyone will have the app on their phone if they are in trouble, they have also made allowance for a selected number of ‘Buddy call-outs’. This would work well in the event of witnessing a seaside incident, where lifeguards were not on duty for example and where the person in trouble could not physically call for help.
Morné Kruger, CEO of Trigger SA Systems (Trigger) expressed his thanks to the team at the NSRI for coming on board and for the smooth integration between the NSRI’s Emergency Operations Centre and the Trigger app. ‘Our core objective is to provide access to assistance when and where it is needed and as quickly as possible. Our plan is to incorporate as many emergency response providers as possible and spread a blanket of safety across South Africa.’
‘The NSRI is an important long-term proponent of that plan, especially given the number of open water-related incidents there are each year. We look forward to a mutually helpful partnership in which the public are the primary beneficiaries.’
How it works:
- Download the Trigger app from the appropriate app store (Apple or Google Play Store)
- Choose a plan to subscribe to – option of annual or monthly
- Once payment is received the app is active
- Store app on mobile phone’s home screen for ease of use and keep the app running in the background (uses very little data) ensuring your location services are on
- In an emergency press the Trigger button to open the app
- Select the emergency – in the case of the NSRI it will be this icon:
- This will open the cellphone’s dialer and will ring through to the NSRI control room
- If your emergency is within an area not serviced by the NSRI, Trigger and/or the NSRI will still send assistance to the coordinates logged from the smartphone (or panic button) at the point of placing the distress call.
The first phase of integration links subscribers to the control room. With further phases already in planning, that includes an autonomous location-based alert similar to the Trigger armed response service.
Trigger and the NSRI will also be launching a number of other joint initiatives over the coming months to further promote water safety amongst the public.
Trigger Subscriber Plans Pricing:
Panic Individual: R39/month incl VAT
Panic family of 4: R109/month incl VAT
Platinum Individual: R99/month incl VAT
Platinum Family of 4: R299/month incl VAT
Download on Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Huawei App Gallery.
PICTURE: Supplied
