&Finder

Mobile app screen
Dispatch Dashboard
Dispatcher can send life saving video instructions

The Idea

To code for social good, we looked for a way to provide people with a sense of safety and security at their most vulnerable moments. When an emergency takes place, the first thing people rely on is calling 911. However after speaking with officers and dispatchers at the UC Davis Police Department, we learned that outdated infrastructure undermines emergency services' ability to locate and reach callers efficiently. Reportedly 55% of cell phone callers in California can only be traced to the nearest cell tower, which can be too far away from the caller to help a dispatcher locate them. Additionally, under many circumstances the caller won't know where they are or won't have the ability to tell the dispatcher. To remedy this problem we envisioned a platform where emergency dispatchers can view a caller's GPS location and medical details in order to better the caller's chances of getting help in time.

What it does

Our mobile app allows callers to press a button and be instantly connected to a dispatcher displaying in real time on a map GPS location and medical history. The Dispatch Dashboard allows dispatchers to determine the best response to the situation by sending EMS, police, and/or Fire Department. In time critical circumstances, the portal allows for the dispatcher to send videos immediately to the caller's device to perform life saving emergency maneuvers such as CPR or injecting an Epipen. Our technology allows bystanders to help individuals in distress or urgent need by calling with the distressed individual's phone and the dispatcher can communicate pre-existing medical conditions so the bystander can take the proper actions.

How we built it

Utilizing the instantaneous response of Firebase real time database, we were able to ensure the quick transfer of information from the caller to the dispatcher. Using React-Native we developed an app where users can set personal information such as name, age, pre-existing conditions, and medications. On the press of a button a call is made from the phone to a 911 dispatcher, and the caller's personal information, along with their GPS coordinates, are stored in our Firebase real time database. The dispatcher views a dashboard built using React and hosted on Google Cloud that loads the caller's personal information from Firebase. Here the dispatcher can read their medical information and view their location on a map in real time.