Mobile companion that helps individuals and families prepare for emergencies

The first 72 hours post natural disaster are critical for survival. In case of major calamities the rescue teams will do their best to save as many people as possible, but the reality is that at times, it is impossible to cover all the ground necessary. This is why it is essential for everyone living in a disaster prone are and not only to be as prepared as they can to survive on their own until they either reach shelter or the rescue teams manage to get to them. But thinking of crisis and of life and death situation is not easy for the large majority of us and it is common that people tend to deny the possibility of a disaster to affect them directly.

BeReady is a mobile application that helps individuals and groups turn disaster preparedness in a joint project they can tackle together. With embedded gamification features, offline maps for safe meeting points, task assignment among members of the group, reminders and incentives to register for first aid training, this mobile application will be the emergency companion that ensures you and your group have the best chance possible to manage on your own until the rescue teams reach you. 

It won’t happen to me

Preparedness is much more than a national plan for intervention in case of natural disasters. Preparedness means a joint effort made by everyone who lives in an area with medium or high risk of disasters, both natural and man-made. But the human brain is wired in such way that we often refuse to think of the worst that can happen, either because of superstition or because of a genuine fear of catastrophe. With such little openness to think, plan and prepare for emergency situations it is also very difficult to change behaviours and create reflexes and response habits in individuals. The reality is that in the first 72 hours in the aftermath of an earthquake for instance, it is very likely that rescue teams will not manage to locate and find everyone. The efforts will focus on the severely wounded, on the areas with the largest concentration of population and in the places with the quickest access. 

“Alone, trapped inside a building, waiting to hear the voices of first responders making their way to you, you will look back and think, I wish I had bought an emergency backpack. I’d at least have water now. Or you will look at your sister or brother next to you, wounded, wishing you knew what to do to keep them stable until help arrives.”

(Paramedic, Excerpt from a research interview conducted in Bucharest)

BeReady is a mobile app that helps you to be prepared in case of an emergency. 

Once you are in the app you will be able to create a group where you can add you partner and your children, or maybe your roommates if you live in a shared house. 

Then you will be guided through a BeReady journey: 

• Step 1: You will fill in a profile with basic identification information but also some useful data such as your blood type, known medical conditions, allergies etc. 

• Step 2: You will be advised to buy an emergency back pack and you will have a checklist of items that you are supposed to have in it in order to be safe in the aftermath of a critical situation. Water, food, medication, vital documents, first aid kit etc. 

• Step 3: You can assign a responsible person from your group for each of the items in your backpack. For example: your partner is responsible for medicine then the app will notify the person if the medicine is about to expire or if it is time to check it and make sure it is adequately stored in the backpack

• Step 4: Configure maps for offline availability. In some crisis situations the networks will be down but you may still have access to your phone and you can plan for several meeting points for everyone to get to, if a disaster catches everyone in different locations. For example: you can input your child’s school address, your office address and your gym as these are frequent locations. Then you can configure the route between these places to the meeting spot you chose for your group. The app will advise you on how to configure these routes as safely as possible. The best routes will not be the shortest but they will be the ones that are the least dangerous - large boulevards, squares, open parks, to stay as far away as possible from buildings for example in case of an earthquake). 

• Step 5: Register for a first aid training or re-take your exams. If you already have a certification for first aid training, then the application will remind you when it is necessary to redo the training (sometimes it is recommended to retake the training once a year or once every three years). If you have never attended a first-aid training session you can find the list of available trainings in your city to register for one whenever you have the time. 

• Step 6: Practice. From time to time the application will send you quick notifications with questions regarding preparedness. For example: “Which of the following routes should you avoid after an earthquake: A: Narrow streets with tall buildings B: Elevators C: Parks D: Metro stations”. These questions are meant to help you remember basic survival rules in case of a disaster and to encourage the right response should something severe happen in your area. 

• Step 7: Evacuation routes. The app will also have information such as evacuation routes for your city if they are available to help you exit the city as safely as possible.