Written by Maile Timon
Home and personal safety are very important. Protecting yourself and your loved ones is always a major priority. Did you know, however, you have one of the best tools for personal safety right at your fingertips? Your smartphone can help you call for help, find your way when you’re lost, or act as a flashlight when you can’t see in the dark. In addition to the pre-installed applications, there are a number of useful apps that can help you protect your home and your family. Whether you frequently walk home alone or you’d just like some peace of mind in your neighborhood, here are four security apps you should download, now.
Note: If you have an iPhone, make sure you setup your Medical ID. You can save important information like an emergency contact, medications and any medical allergies. In the event of an emergency, a medical responder can access your Medical ID even if your phone is locked.
Companion
This app lets you designate smartphone contacts as digital companions. Once you have the app setup, your companions will receive a digital map of your location, which is great if you’re out late at night or need to walk home alone. The good news is, your companions don’t need to install the app to know your whereabouts.
Companion also has a built-in feature that asks if you’re OK, if you drop your phone or pull your headphones out. If you don’t respond within 15 seconds, Companion will notify your emergency contacts. Companion is a great free safety app. If you don’t mind spending money and want more advanced features, check out Watch Over Me and bSafe which include an emergency SOS button.
SEND HELP
As the name implies, SEND HELP let’s you call or text for help in the event of an emergency. Setup your emergency contacts and custom help messages. If you’re in a dangerous situation, tap the red SEND HELP button. Your contacts will receive an SMS or email alert (predetermined by you). The app also gives you the option to post the alert to your social media channels. You can enable GPS so your contacts can find your location.
Presence
If you have an old smartphone collecting dust at home, download Presence to turn it into a security camera and motion detector. The free version comes with 50MB of free encrypted cloud video storage for motion detection recordings. The premium version gives you more storage space and upgraded features.
Install presence on your old iPhone and pair it with your new phone for video recording and motion detector video alerts. The app is also compatible with certain home appliances and electronics. Presence is made for iOS devices. If you want something similar for Android, download Home Security Camera for the same types of security features.
Alarm.com and System-Specific Apps
Some wireless alarm systems let you download an app that enables you to control your devices and receive alerts on your smartphone. This is helpful if you go out of town or spend a lot of time away from your home. Many brands have their own app, or you can check for a compatible app on Alarm.com, which syncs with most systems to give you remote access to your security devices.
You can also buy smart appliances to automate your electronics. If you’d rather not spend the money on new appliances, smart outlets are a less-expensive option that allow you to automate your devices or sync them to a smartphone or remote control.
Whether you automate your devices or not, it’s a good idea to create a home-safety checklist that you follow each time you leave the house. Your checklist should include things like closing and locking all your windows and doors and powering down your electronics. When you repeat the same actions each time you leave, it becomes a routine. You will no longer have to worry that you left a door unlocked or an appliance on when you’re away from home.
You probably already have your smartphone with you all the time, so why not turn it into the ultimate safety accessory? Download your favorite apps from this list to protect yourself, your family and your home.
About the Author:
Maile Timon is a professional blogger and content editor. She writes about lifestyle and family, health and fitness, education, business, how to and more. Maile earned her Bachelor’s in Broadcast Journalism from Chapman University. When she’s not writing, she enjoys hiking in San Diego, CA.
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One of the apps I like is Golf GPS. It takes a google maps image of your location and puts rings on it at the intervals you specify. So if you wanted to know set distances from your location you can just pull it up and they’re mapped out for you.
Hi Joe, Thanks for the tip!