App Signals for Help for Those in Danger

WatchMe911 App

By Crystal Martinez

In emergencies every woman should have pepper spray in her purse and a cellphone in her pocket. She should also have an app that could save her life.

According to the United States Department of Labor’s blog, one in five young women reported being sexually assaulted while in college.

Jill Campbell, the founder of the WatchMe 911 app, shares many college women’s fears.

Campbell is a widow who found herself vulnerable and unprotected at times. With these concerns, she decided to create some peace of mind for herself and many others. This motivated her to assemble a team of professionals and launch WatchMe 911, a protection safety app available at iTunes store.

WatchMe 911 allows users to transmit critical information about their whereabouts, done by GPS tracking, to their support networks like friends and family and emergency services including the police, with two taps on this app.

The panic mode feature sends user’s contacts text and email messages with a location and a map, letting them know he or she is in danger. Additional tools like an alarm sound and flashlight are also provided for emergency situations.

The WatchMe 911 team found out about President Obama’s administration technology challenge for apps against abuse. Led by Vice President Joe Biden, the challenge spurred software developers to create helpful devices. Campbell entered the contest and won. On April 18, 2012 Biden invited Campbell to the White House to mark the formal launch of the app.

“Regardless of the type of person you are and the kind of life that you live, bad things can happen,” said Kathy Perkins, a crime prevention specialist at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department who did a safety presentation at CSN.

“You have to rely on your instincts and your preparedness to avoid the problem,” Perkins said.

“In a dangerous situation, it’s better to call for help yourself,” said Perkins, when asked on her thoughts of WatchMe 911. She feels it is a well-designed app but is a secondary way of protection.

Priscilla Montoya, a stay at home mom, said, “WatchMe 911 can be put to good use at any age.”

Montoya would like a ‘family plan’ to better improve the app in case of emergencies with her children or even an exclusive app for kids. She likes knowing that the app can help her in bad situations.

“It’s very interesting, I didn’t know an app like this existed,” CSN student Dinora Martinez said. “It would help me late nights when I get out of work and walk through the parking lot.” Martinez said she would inform her sisters about WatchMe 911.