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Kicking Ass And Saving Lives – iHELP From Slovenia

95 points by dsarle 13y ago

japaget 13y ago
There is another emergency use app in the Apple App Store here is the USA that's called iHelp Plus. It has no connection to the app described in the article, which doesn't seem to be available in the USA.
- deletes 13y ago
  How do you know that, I haven't found any info regarding location restrictions on their website.
  - japaget 13y ago
    The Apple App Store has a search function, and the Slovenian iHelp doesn't come up in the search. That means either it is not available on your device or is not available in your country.
subsystem 13y ago
There's a similar system in Sweden[0]. It really is a shame that AEDs aren't smaller and cheaper. [0] http://www.vice.com/read/if-your-heart-stops-in-sweden-a-member-of-the-public-might-help-you-before-an-ambulance http://www.vice.com/read/if-your-heart-stops-in-sweden-a-mem...
frankdenbow 13y ago
This is great. In the US there are efforts to create an enhanced 911 system [0] (headed up by Henning Schulzrinne of Columbia). Many apps will be built on this infrastructure and hopefully save more lives. [0] http://www.911dispatch.com/911/nextgen_911.html http://www.911dispatch.com/911/nextgen_911.html
mentos 13y ago
What would be wrong with a world where this app was pre-installed on every phone and allowed EMT/Doctors/Firefighters/Police to indicate as such and set a radius for alerts they would like to see (100ft/500ft/1000ft/etc)?
- JshWright 13y ago
  You'd likely end up with a _really_ low SNR (if the current use and abuse of the 911 system is anything to go by). It'd be the 'cry wolf' app in no time. There are other concerns I'd have too... Want to mug someone in a secluded area? Hit the HelpMe button on your burner phone and wait for them to come to you.
  - mentos 13y ago
    Well if the 911 system is already broken, maybe an app could try to fix it. I think the problem with calling 911 is that it is free when it should cost enough money to weed out the noise. If a call to 911 cost $100, how many people would be calling in about their tooth-aches/loneliness (http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/24/news/economy/healthcare_911_abuse/ http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/24/news/economy/healthcare_911_...)? Increase the dollar amount until the number = 0. An app that allowed you to purchase credit before you had a crisis (or came with $100 of credit and you had to top off after an emergency) might help reduce that noise. What if the $ went directly to the first responder? There are ways to solve these problems.
    - deletes 13y ago
      Charge the call, if the call is justified give a discount of 100%.
      - mortov 13y ago
        Try discussing that with the family of the murder victim Sally Geeson. She wrongly believed an emergency 999 (911 to North Americans) cost money so she did not call when she knew her life was in imminent danger as she had no credit left on her phone: From http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/oct/19/guardianweeklytechnologysection2 http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/oct/19/guardianwe... "...tragic consequences last year when Sally Geeson, a student, was abducted and murdered in Cambridge. Sally, whose phone had run out of call credit, sent a series of texts asking for help to friends, apparently not realising that she could have made a 999 call for free."
leonatan 13y ago
I have come here to kick ass and save lives. And I am all out of ass.

95 points by dsarle 13y ago

There is another emergency use app in the Apple App Store here is the USA that's called iHelp Plus. It has no connection to the app described in the article, which doesn't seem to be available in the USA.

deletes 13y ago
How do you know that, I haven't found any info regarding location restrictions on their website.
- japaget 13y ago
  The Apple App Store has a search function, and the Slovenian iHelp doesn't come up in the search. That means either it is not available on your device or is not available in your country.

subsystem 13y ago

There's a similar system in Sweden[0]. It really is a shame that AEDs aren't smaller and cheaper. [0] http://www.vice.com/read/if-your-heart-stops-in-sweden-a-member-of-the-public-might-help-you-before-an-ambulance http://www.vice.com/read/if-your-heart-stops-in-sweden-a-mem...

frankdenbow 13y ago

This is great. In the US there are efforts to create an enhanced 911 system [0] (headed up by Henning Schulzrinne of Columbia). Many apps will be built on this infrastructure and hopefully save more lives. [0] http://www.911dispatch.com/911/nextgen_911.html http://www.911dispatch.com/911/nextgen_911.html

mentos 13y ago

What would be wrong with a world where this app was pre-installed on every phone and allowed EMT/Doctors/Firefighters/Police to indicate as such and set a radius for alerts they would like to see (100ft/500ft/1000ft/etc)?

JshWright 13y ago
You'd likely end up with a _really_ low SNR (if the current use and abuse of the 911 system is anything to go by). It'd be the 'cry wolf' app in no time. There are other concerns I'd have too... Want to mug someone in a secluded area? Hit the HelpMe button on your burner phone and wait for them to come to you.
- mentos 13y ago
  Well if the 911 system is already broken, maybe an app could try to fix it. I think the problem with calling 911 is that it is free when it should cost enough money to weed out the noise. If a call to 911 cost $100, how many people would be calling in about their tooth-aches/loneliness (http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/24/news/economy/healthcare_911_abuse/ http://money.cnn.com/2009/08/24/news/economy/healthcare_911_...)? Increase the dollar amount until the number = 0. An app that allowed you to purchase credit before you had a crisis (or came with $100 of credit and you had to top off after an emergency) might help reduce that noise. What if the $ went directly to the first responder? There are ways to solve these problems.
  - deletes 13y ago
    Charge the call, if the call is justified give a discount of 100%.
    - mortov 13y ago
      Try discussing that with the family of the murder victim Sally Geeson. She wrongly believed an emergency 999 (911 to North Americans) cost money so she did not call when she knew her life was in imminent danger as she had no credit left on her phone: From http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/oct/19/guardianweeklytechnologysection2 http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2006/oct/19/guardianwe... "...tragic consequences last year when Sally Geeson, a student, was abducted and murdered in Cambridge. Sally, whose phone had run out of call credit, sent a series of texts asking for help to friends, apparently not realising that she could have made a 999 call for free."

leonatan 13y ago

I have come here to kick ass and save lives. And I am all out of ass.