• How do I raise/set-off an Alert?

  The way that you raise an alert depends on the alert activation option you have selected. This can be either :  Press and hold or shake. If you select press and hold the ‘send Alert’ button will appear in the middle of your screen. If you have an emergency, hold that button down for five seconds to raise an Alert. If you select shake, then firmly shake your phone for at least 2 seconds.

• What happens when I raise an Alert?

  When you raise an Alert, your active Emergency Contacts will receive an SMS and email containing a link to view your location and any uploaded audio/videos. Your alert will also be picked up by the Control Centre and they will action a co-ordinated and appropriate response based on your escalation policy

• What is the Distress PIN?

  Also known as the Duress PIN.  If you are forced to cancel an alert by an attacker, the duress pin provides an additional layer of security.  When cancelling the alert use the passcode 9999 instead of your date of birth.  This will escalate and prioritise the alert, notifying the Control Centre that you have been forced to cancel the alert.

• What is tracking?

  When you login to the app, we will identify your location and keep a record of your movements. This information will be stored in the Cloud in case it is needed at a later time and will be available to you and to the Control Centre. Your emergency contacts will not be aware of your location until you create a Journey or set off an alert.

 

Out And About

• If the Keypad is locked, can I still activate an Alert?

  Yes, alerts can be raised whilst the app is running in the background and the screen is locked.  The activation mode needs to be set to shake though.

• Can I still use the phone when it is in Alert mode?

  Yes, the phone can still be used to make and receive calls.

 

App Settings

• Can I Alert certain contacts only, as opposed to ALL of my Emergency Contacts?

  You are able to create different Groups of emergency contacts. You can then choose which groups receive alerts, by turning them on or off within the Contacts section of the app.

• Do I have to shake the phone to raise an Alert?

  You can raise an alert by either shaking the phone or pressing and holding the alert button. You can also use a wearable Bluetooth Panic Button to raise an alert if you have one paired and connected. The activation method can be set by navigating through Menu – Settings – Alarm Profile and editing your selected profile.

• Why is the Duress PIN set to 9999 by default?

  The Duress PIN should be a number that you can remember whilst in a stressful situation (9999 is easy to remember) and it cannot be your date of birth or be changed by you. 

• How does Basic Guard handle users who generate a lot of false alerts?

  There is a full history of Alerts displayed on the control panel for each user, together with controller notes relating to those Alerts. This provides as much context as possible to the individual and clearly if there is a high instance of false alerts then the Control Centre and or Response Partner may wish to take extra steps to check that the user is in trouble before escalating.

• How many people can I send the Alert to?

  There is no limit to the number of Emergency Contacts that you can include in your contacts. You will then be able to send an Alert to all those that you have activated, either as individuals or in groups.

• Can I change the sensitivity of the Alert trigger?

  The method and sensitivity of the alert activation can be changed within the different Alarm Profiles in Settings. You can switch between 'shake' and 'press to hold' to activate and you can change the shake strength and length of time in order to reduce the chance of accidentally activating the alert. This would be useful, for example, if you wanted to use the app whilst out jogging.

• How do I change the video and audio settings?

  You can change the video and audio settings in Alert Settings.

• How long are the videos?

  In your Alert Settings you decide ahead of time how many videos you want the alert to generate and how long each video will be – anything between one and ten videos of either 10, 20 or 30 sends in length. This helps reduce battery and data usage.

• Why would you want to change the length and number of videos uploaded?

  You may want to collect longer evidence session for use in court at a later date, such as stalking cases or domestic abuse situations.

• Will it use a lot of data to send the video?

  A typical alert of three x 10 second videos will use roughly 1 MB of data, which is very little on a normal data plan.

• Can I decide which of my contacts can follow me?

  Yes, when using the  Journey function, you can choose which Emergency Contacts can watch your progress, by activating individuals or Groups within Contact Settings in the app.

• How accurate is the tracking?

  The accuracy of the tracking is dependent on your phone and the network connectivity, but it can be as accurate as 1 meter. Factors such as being inside or outside affect the accuracy of your location.

• Am I tracked if I am inside?

  If you move inside, as long as your phone can use GPS, WiFi and 3G your location will continue to be shared. Where Bluetooth Low Energy indoor positioning has been installed it will also be used to track which floor and which room you are in.

• How does the Phone work as a Deterrent?

  The Deterrent mode makes it very obvious that an alert has been raised. Anyone looking at the phone will see that GPS location and audio/video evidence have been uploaded. In certain situations awareness of an alarm being raised can deter someone from attacking or stealing a phone. After two shakes the phone goes into alarm mode, producing a high pitched sound and strobe lighting to draw attention to the situation.The Deterrent mode makes it very obvious that an alert has been raised.

• Why do you record video?

  Video and audio are recorded in the event of an alert being activated in order to provide as much information as possible to Emergency Contacts and the Control Center/Response Partner so that they are able to action a co-ordinated and appropriate response.

• What camera is recording the video?

  By default we use the back camera to record video in order to get as good a view as possible of your situation and any potential threat that you face. However in your Alert Settings you can change this to the front camera.

 

Account & Profile

• Why does the App ask for my date of birth to cancel an alert?

  Your Date Of Birth is simple, easy to remember, and unique to you, so that you can quickly turn off an alert, even in a stressful situation, but a stranger is unable to shutdown the app on your behalf. You will be asked to enter your date of birth as DD/MM, for example, if your birth date is March 23rd, your pin will be 2303.

• Am I always being tracked?

  As long as you are logged in to the app and you have connectivity your location will be recorded.

 

Alerts

• How do I trigger/set-off an Alert?

  You can set off an alert using the appropriate activation method (shake or press and hold) at any time during the journey if you are in danger.

• How do I know if an Alert has been activated?

  You will know when an alert has been activated when you see a red alert screen. If you have chosen the stealth alarm profile setting then you will not see a red screen, as the alert has been triggered silently.  Your screen will change thought to the wallpaper that you have selected.  If you shake the phone a second time, it emits a high pitched alarm and strobe lighting.

• Are the Alerts only sent via SMS?

  We send Alerts via both SMS and email, depending on how you have setup your Emergency Contacts.

• How do I cancel an Alert?

  To cancel an alert you should enter your date of birth (DD/MM)

• How can my Contacts see my alerts ?

  When an alert is activated, your Emergency Contacts immediately receive an sms and email containing a link to the alert page which has your location, uploaded video/audio, any notes that you have made and personal details. This ensures they they have as much information as possible in order to better respond to the alert. The emergency link is only valid for 24 hours.

• As a Contact, what should I do when I receive an Alert?

  When you receive an alert you should follow the protocol that you established when you were set up as an Emergency Contact. Failing this, attempt to contact the person who raised the alert and if you are unable to reach them, then call the appropriate authority.

• Who deals with the Alert?

  Your alert will be dealt with by our Command Center in accordance with the Escalation Policy.

• Can the Command Center view a user’s camera?

  The Command Center can only view videos and audio uploaded to the cloud and cannot access the camera or audio independently.

• Can I view the recorded video/audio files?

  Your Alert History is available within your profile under the “Alerts” button. This shows you a full list of the Alerts that you have raised together with the location, location map and any uploaded audio/video or notes related to that Alert. This information can also be accessed by clicking on the MEMBERS LOGIN button on the SAFER website header.

• What is a Heartbeat?

  Heartbeat provides reassurance that the App is working by vibrating while tracking and/or after an alert has been raised. The App will vibrate intermittently similar to a heartbeat once it has been activated in your Alarm profile Settings for Alert mode or Tracking mode. This is great to know the app is active whilst in your pocket or bag.

• What happens when I reach the end of my Journey?

  At the end of the journey you will be asked if you are safe and can enter your date of birth to close the Journey (the completion of your journey) and notify your contacts that you are safe.

• What is a Meeting Alert?

  A Meeting alert is also known as a Timed alert. This is a countdown timer that you set before entering a potentially dangerous environment or journey.

 

Journey

• What is a Journey Alert?

  A Journey allows you to notify your friends, family, and co-workers of your movements between a start and end location.

• How do I create/start a Journey?

  Within the Journey tab you are taken to your current location on a map and you can enter your start point or can touch the current location button to automatically find your location. You then enter your destination point on the map or via an address / post code. Each journey must have a minimum distance of 100 meters. Click on start journey to notify your contacts and to start your journey.

• Can I set up multiple Journeys?

  You can create only one journey at a time. Once one journey has been completed or cancelled, a new journey can be created.

• Can I save locations in Journey mode?

  You can save locations by clicking the star icon next to the address that you enter as the start or destination for your journey. You will then be able to name this location and use it for future journeys.

• Can I add comments about my Journey?

  You can enter notes about your journey, including method of transportation and any potential detours, the purpose of your journey or people you plan to meet.

• Can I add an estimated time to complete my Journey?

  When creating a Journey you will have the option of also setting up a Timer alert which will activate should the Journey take longer than you anticipate. You can manually add time to the countdown timer, if you need to.

• Who can see my Journey?

  Your active Emergency Contacts can see your journey via a link sent in an SMS and email and your location will be displayed in our Control Centre.

• How do you contact my Emergency Contacts?

  Your active Emergency Contacts will receive SMS and email notification letting them know when you start and complete your journey, or if you raise an alert.

• Why have I stopped being tracked?

  If you are no longer being tracked, you have either lost connectivity or have logged out of the app. Your location is not shared once the app is closed.

• Can I add details of the Meeting?

  When setting up a Timer alert, you are asked to add some details about your situation, such as relating to the journey you are undertaking or the meeting that you are attending. This will be shared with your emergency contacts if the timer runs out and an alert is activated.

 

Meeting

• Is there a wearable Panic Button that I can use?

  There is a wearable panic button that you can use with the app which is available separately through SAFER.  An alert can be set off remotely using the paired and connected Bluetooth Panic Button.

• What is a Timed Alert?

  A Timed alert is a time-based alert, which automatically raises an alarm when the timer runs out. The timer runs independently in the cloud and not on your phone which means that it will activate even if you run out of battery, lose signal or if the phone is destroyed in an emergency situation.

• Can I add details relating to a Timed alert?

  When setting up a Timed alert, you are asked to add some details about your situation, such as relating to the journey you are undertaking or the meeting that you are attending. This will be shared with your emergency contacts if the timer runs out and an alert is automatically activated.

• What happens if my Meeting overruns?

  You can extend the Timer alert at anytime by simply going into the timer on the app and clicking on the “add time” button.

• Can I cancel a Timed alert?

  You can cancel a Timed alert at anytime by entering your Date Of Birth, in the format DD/MM.

 

Panic Button

• How are the alerts sent?

  Although the Panic Button activates the alert, the information is sent over the data (cellular or wi-fi) network directly from your phone to our Cloud infrastructure.

• How do I pair the Panic Button?

  To pair the wearable Panic Button to your phone, simply follow the instructions on the SAFER App, which will show when you press the Bluetooth tab. 

• How do I connect the Panic Button?

  Once you have paired the wearable button, the connection will automatically happen when the button is in range of your phone - as long as you have logged into the app.

• How do I know that the Panic Button is connected?

  Within the app, at the top right corner, you will see the wearable button status icon, where green is connected and red is disconnected.  On the wearable panic button, if it flashes red you are not connected and if every 30 seconds you get a green flash you are successfully connected.

• How long does the wearable Panic Button battery last?

  The battery should last for a period of at least 12 months with normal usage and can be replaced by unscrewing the back case of the button.