SOS use cases – 3 times a lone worker solution came to the rescue
Our lone worker apps and devices are there to offer confidence that help can be summoned quickly – just in case. Most lone employees, and their managers would hope they never have to use an SOS lone worker panic button.
Here are three examples of when users of Pick Protection’s lone worker apps and devices raised an SOS using a lone worker panic button, and the outcomes.
Housing officer raises alarm after an attempt at forced entry
A lone worker employed by one of Pick Protection’s Local Authority customers raised an alarm after a tenant attempted to force their way into the property.
The user raised an SOS, and, upon listening in, operators determined there was a potentially dangerous situation. They advised the police, providing the location.
The police arrived quickly, removed the individual and escorted the user to safety.
The user was shaken but grateful that the service had worked as expected and provided a positive result.
User activates SOS after person issues threats of gun violence
A user raised an SOS with the Alarm Receiving Centre to pre-warn operators that she felt threatened. She instructed them to escalate straight to the police if she pressed it again. The user did so when the person in the property made violent threats, telling her if they had a gun, they would shoot her.
The Police were contacted and subsequently confirmed their attendance. The user removed herself from danger when exiting the property, and operators followed up to confirm her safety.
After the incident, the user said she was grateful for the support and quick actions from operators, and also for having a Pick Protection device, stating how well it had worked.
Shop-workers call for assistance when shoplifters become aggressive
When staff at a shop selling alcohol became aware of people attempting to steal spirits, they took measures to prevent this from happening and gather evidence. This included locking the doors, and documenting vehicle and shoplifting details on cameras.
When the would-be shoplifters saw their pictures being taken, they became aggressive, banging on the glass door and shouting slurs.
A member of staff raised an alarm by pressing their lone worker panic button, and the incident was escalated to their main point of contact by operators. The responding operator checked whether police assistance was required, but was told the intruders had gone, and confirmed safety with the person who’d raised the SOS.
The operator told the user to raise the alarm again if the intruders returned, and they would notify the police.
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In all of the above instances, the operators have responded quickly, and either determined safety or notified the police. The responding police forces subsequently confirmed attendance within minutes of the SOS being raised.
While fortunately, no one was harmed in any of these incidents, it shows how often lone workers can face the threat of violence in a variety of scenarios – whether working in a public-facing environment, such as a shop or going into someone’s home.
Get assistance to them, fast
Regardless of the environment, it’s vital that the means to get help quickly and often discreetly is available. Operators within our partner Alarm Receiving Centres answer an SOS call in under four seconds and can request a level 1 police response in a genuine emergency. This allows them to go straight to the police control room, instead of via the 999 switchboard, thanks to a BS8484 accreditation, saving precious time.
The simple and discreet way to raise an alarm
Our PG Smart App uses a phone’s GPS so operators can tell responding emergency services where to find the person in trouble. Paired with our Bluetooth button, the PG Click, users can raise an alarm without raising suspicion, with just a double click of the button.
Highly trained operators will then listen in for 20 seconds to determine the situation if it’s not safe for the user to speak.
Want to learn more about lone worker panic buttons and other solutions?
Visit our lone worker solutions page for a breakdown of our lone worker app and devices and see how they work with our management system, the PG Cloud.
Alternatively, you can book a demo to discover how a lone-worker solution can work with your organisation.