With the spate of criminality rising and many people needing to take emergency measures to safeguard their lives and property, a Nigerian startup has come up with a solution that not only allows people to call for help hey are in distress but also show their location in real-time.
Triggr is the first emergency mobile app that has a big ambition of reducing crime by keeping people safe and helping those in trouble get the help they need quicker. The innovation is coming at a time when many Nigerians trust levels in existing security establishments such as the police have dropped significantly. Rather than recourse to police for safety, large amount of money is invested in procuring private security.
Triggr’s entry therefore could potentially reduce the cost people now have to bear in providing their own security.
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In a statement sent to BusinessDay, co-founders of the mobile application, Okey Madubuike and David Echieanu explained that “Triggr is a new personal security and emergency coordination mobile application for real-time location sharing, event notification and collaboration among family members, friends, and associates.”
The app is designed for both individuals and corporate organisatons “who when threatened by circumstances, desire the quickest engagement with their most trusted allies regardless of physical distance, and their most approximate, reliable service providers.”
There are twelve features on the launch version. These include car breakdown, accident, robbery, flood, rape, kidnap, riot, fire, gas leakage, stalking, sickness, and suicide.
The co-founder noted that Triggr majorly addresses the challenge posed by loneliness in times of distress. Users of the app can easily press a few buttons to broadcast useful information such as emergency type, location, time, physical distance of each preset ally, and more.
In other words Triggr could help bridge the widening gap between security agencies and the people who need their help. For instance, people in an emergency situation needing the attention of the police can easily send a broadcast which can be seen by policemen with the app on their phone and this could lead to a rescue.
“The app instantly loops all the alerted allies into a dedicated virtual Group Coordinated Response (GCR) chatroom, to synergize their efforts, an prevent conflicting response activities,” the co-founders said.
There is also a self-help feature to both the user and the allies to find nearby service providers (within expandable 40km circumference), giving their names, contact addresses, contact phone numbers, distances from the distress location, public ratings, and whether they are still open or closed for business at the time.
The app therefore offers a feature for service providers in different locations within the country to register and be verified; and if approved, be listed for service referencing in emergencies within their localities. As an added support for the community of users, Triggr also provides a free list of government-approved emergency numbers for related agencies at different locations in the country.
With many more exciting features in the works, it is no doubt a very handy tool for households, friends, travelers, vehicle owners, employers, employees, medical service providers, law enforcers, drivers, businesses, groups, security operatives (including vigilante and estate securities) and every one in communities.
The Triggr app is easy to use and available for download on Google playstore. It is revolutioning emergency and security management in Nigeria, and is your best friend in that critical time of need. “Your safety is a triggr away.”
