ArcAngel CEO John South talks about the app, ArcAngel, in the demo room while Operations Specialists Matt Oliver and Will Schworer check on potential emergency situations. Photo by Reena Singh.
John South, CEO of Patrocinium Systems of Reston, calls it the guardian angel of apps.
The ArcAngel app, unveiled on Nov. 19, can pinpoint users during emergency situations, alerting first responders and loved ones about their minute-by-minute status.
“If you think about technology today, it’s one-to-one,” said South. “Texting is one-to-one. The Amber alert is one-to-one.”
What’s different about ArcAngel, he said, is that it sends a beacon to the users’ phone telling them that they are in close proximity to a shooting, large-scale fire, or other emergency situation. The user has three choices: to ignore the beacon, to press the button to let the app know they are ok, or press the other button stating they are not ok.
“When you respond, it sends a message to your family that you are ok,” said South.
For those who are not ok or have not responded, the app alerts emergency responders to let them know what floor they may be on. Because it tracks the bluetooth on the phone, the app can pinpoint the exact location of the user.
South was quick to say, however, that this is not a tracking device.
“We don’t actively track,” he said. “We don’t collect data.”
THE APP BEGINS to track the second that the user texts or calls that they need help in a situation or if a widespread emergency situation, like a school shooting, is being tweeted about or reported on the news.
All the information they get, he said, is public sourced information that anyone can get on their own.
Additionally, if an international traveler feels unsafe due to violent protests or car bombings abroad, the app is a quick way to have the embassy send out a consular staff to meet and guide them to safety.
“The reality is, when you’re in trouble, we can find where you are and push that information to the State Department,” said South.
South began his career in security as a police officer in California and advanced to military service and large scale security support following 9/11. His current startup focuses on hiring highly skilled military veterans - a group that often has trouble finding jobs when they retire - because they know how to respond in emergency situations.
“Eighty percent of the people in the office are veterans,” he said. “Everyone here has operational experience.”
Those quick reactions, he said, are what keeps people safe.
One of those veterans is former Marine and Army officer Gus Taveras, Chief Information Officer of ArcAngel. He served in the military for 20 years, most recently as CIO at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency.
“You won’t know how much you need it until you are in that situation, that crisis,” he said.
Clint Lumpkins, Director of Special Projects, is another one of those veterans. He joined the military right after graduating high school and started focusing on crisis management.
“I think it’s the whole aspect of how to think through a crisis,” he said. “It’s the fog of a lack of information that can cause chaos and casualties.
The app is $4.99 per month for the basic, push notification version. The “Pro” version costs $19.99 and allows the user to call the ArcAngel headquarters for help or to alert them about a situation.
AS OF NOV. 20, about 2,500 people around the world were signed up for the app - the day after it launched.
“It’s so powerful that you’re not alone in this huge world,” said Taveras.
More information about the app can be found at http://www.patrocinium.com.