Oasis Magazine - Cairns & Tropical North Queensland Issue 29 - Apr | May 2019 | Page 17

“This is not just about Toyah, it is about the fact
anybody can find themselves in a vulnerable situation.
People think it will never happen to them; no-one ever
happens to think it could happen to them.
“I would not say that a Safelet would have saved
Toyah’s life, but it could very well alerted people – her
guardians – that she was in trouble. We feel strongly
about keeping our community safe. We want to create
a world where there is always help available when
needed.”
Safelet is a ‘fit-bit’ style bracelet that allows people to
send out emergency alerts to their friends, family and
the police with just one click. Connected to a
smartphone (iOS and Android devices) via Bluetooth
the device, when activated, will show the exact location
of the sender, alert nominated guardians, and has a
microphone to record events.
be working alone, or driving one of the fleet vehicles.
We work in a number of rural surrounding
areas - what happens if the staff member is in a
remote area, has an accident and can’t reach the
phone?
“Our staff need to feel safe, that they can get
immediate help if they need it through technology that
is wearable and practical. Some staff members may
have serious medical conditions and need assistance.
We can also encounter clients in our community
services that may be agitated or upset.
“The recording device is vital – we can listen to the
audio and determine what the best response is. A
distress alarm may not be the best course of action –
something terrible could have happened in the time it
takes for the security to get to the person.
“For our team, the Safelet is invaluable. It’s a value add
Andrea Jackson from IJC Training in Cairns has for our employees – we encourage them use the
purchased over a dozen Safelets for the staff at the bracelets for personal use too; it‘s a wellbeing issue.”
not-for-profit community hub.
“We were looking for a way to improve safety of our
staff and clients. We have a number of staff that might