by Janeé Harteau, President & CEO
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chief Janeé Harteau (retired) was Minneapolis’ 52nd Police Chief and the first female chief in the city’s history. She initiated MPD 2.0 immediately after becoming chief, systematically changing accountability and transparency within the Department, while maximizing officer performance and advancement opportunities within the organization.
What is the Vitals App?
The Vitals™ App instantly delivers critical medical and mental health information to your 9-1-1 operator during an emergency to create safer interactions, more positive outcomes, and overall peace of mind. The Vitals™ service is designed to dramatically improve interactions between field responders and individuals with physical, behavioral, mental or developmental conditions through the use of a signaling beacon and smartphone app technologies. The personal Vitals™ profile information provides Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) and field responders with the person’s individualized information that may be critical while responding to a call for help.
What challenge is the Vitals App aiming to solve?
Technology has dramatically improved our lives over the last 60 years, except for when we need it most. Emergency Communication Centers in the U.S. and around the world rely on the limited information a phone call can provide, and the result often means delays in dispatching and first responders arriving on scene, under-informed. Communities needed a simple way to protect the most vulnerable children and adults, in the moments when seconds count and minutes matter.
The Vitals™ founders knew from personal experiences the essential role of clear, calm communication between vulnerable people and first responders in a moment of crisis. And they knew that simple, powerful and lasting solutions must come through a dual focus on technology and partnerships.
Our earliest work began by connecting with non-profits, families, caregivers and first responders. We heard parents and caregivers share the burden of worry, when clear communication is so uncertain between first responders and the person in their care. And we heard emergency responders express the stressful challenge they face without access to information in urgent moments of crisis or escalation.
This growing understanding led us to create a technology solution that bridges the information gap between first responders and vulnerable people in times of crisis.
What is the Vitals App and RapidSOS solution?
Through the RapidSOS Platform, Vitals is able to securely share critical information with emergency responders in real-time to help arm telecommunicators and first responders with the information that they need to save more lives. This critical information may include:
- Disabilities
- Medical conditions
- Allergies
- Behavior triggers
- De-escalation techniques
- Medications
- Emergency contact information
Why did the Vitals App become RapidSOS Ready?
We share in RapidSOS’s mission of connecting the world to public safety to empower safer, stronger communities with intelligent, data-driven emergency response worldwide. At Vitals Aware Services, we believe that when critical information is shared in an emergency, it promotes a smarter and quicker response. By becoming RapidSOS Ready, we can provide our users with advanced emergency help in their moments of need by sharing our data with 5,200+ 9-1-1 centers and working in partnership with public safety to transform emergency response.
What is the Vitals App looking forward to in this partnership?
We are excited to be a part of the future of 9-1-1 and to create better interactions with first responders to better protect our communities. As we expand our product offerings, we’re committed to building a future in which technology and people work together to protect lives. By partnering with an industry leader like RapidSOS, we’re proud to provide an added layer of safety and security for our community while supporting our heroic first responders in saving millions of lives annually. The Vitals™ App is proud to be RapidSOS Ready.
Are you a connected device company that’s looking to add emergency response to your offering with a simple API? Talk to an expert today to learn more.