Beacon

Emergency dispatch platform for local responders.

Past and Current Partners

MIT Solve Unbundle Policing Accelerator, USAID, Google, World Bank, Cisco, Twilio, PagerDuty, NewRelic, CRC, US Coast Guard, NetHope

Active Countries
Malawi, Puerto Rico, Somalia
Thematic area(s)
Crisis, Health
Technology
SaaS, Whitelabel
Organisation Name
Trek Medics International
READ MORE ON THEIR WEBSITE

The Problem

Beacon has focused its energies in designing a more practical computer-aided dispatch (CAD) solutions to cover larger areas with greater efficiency and lower costs, making it fully possible to deliver emergency care anywhere. Despite the rapid proliferation of mobile phone connectivity, Beacon claims approximately 80% of the world’s population is unable to quickly find assistance in an emergency situation. Today, the rapid emergence and penetration of mobile phone networks across the globe has created a unique opportunity to do away with legacy technologies and innovate new and improved emergency dispatching solutions that fit the digital age. The near-universal accessibility of mobile phone and Internet technologies are what Beacon has used to improve the coordination of scalable emergency response networks and increase community resilience, particularly in resource-limited settings where legacy CAD systems are neither affordable nor appropriate.

The Solution

Beacon is a cloud-based emergency dispatch platform that allows communities to alert, coordinate, and track local responders using any mobile device, with or without the Internet.

How it works?

  • Step 1: Identify and partner with formal and/or informal response groups that are actively responding to emergencies
  • Step 2: Integrating Beacon platform into operations.
  • Step 3: Training is provided for dispatchers (2 hours max) and responders (30 minutes max) through table-top exercises and live simulations.
  • Step 4: Beacon begins coordinating live response activities.
  • Step 5: Where necessary, system scaling begins to alert more responders in more areas.
Digital X Solution Beacon

Bridging the digital divide

The platform provides support to informal, unstructured response groups and networks where affordable and/or appropriate emergency communications solutions are unavailable.

Impact and highlights

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  • Malawi: averaged 7,000-12,000 incoming calls per month, with approximately 500 responders.
  • Somalia: averaged 500-1,000 emergencies dispatched per month in urban areas, with approximately 75 responders.
  • Puerto Rico: averaged 300-400 emergencies dispatched per month in rural areas, with approximately 150 responders.

Plans for expansion

Currently planning to expand to multiple countries with ICRC, including Syria, Myanmar, and South Sudan.