Re/Max of Western Canada is partnering with PROtect to provide personal safety applications to its members.
The app allows salespeople to connect with their closest contacts and alert them when they find themselves in unfamiliar or emergency scenarios.
Merideth Schutter, CEO and founder of PROtect, is a Vancouver-based Re/Max sales associate who created the app.
“There have been several close calls during my career in real estate, and I even created my own security hack – keeping my mother on the phone in case of emergency – when I was in vulnerable situations,” she says. She says she launched the app “with the goal of leveraging mobile technology and personal networks to create a virtual security guard.”
“There are many situations when Realtors are alone, such as at an open house,” says Re/Max of Western Canada EVP Elton Ash. “We believe the PROtect app has the potential to add an extra layer of security, not only in our industry, but for anyone who finds themselves in a vulnerable situation.”
The application allows users to send out an alert to a circle of chosen friends, known as “protectors,” if they feel at risk at any moment. Alternatively, it allows them to set up a timer for an alert as they enter a situation they are cautious of. Once an alert has been sent, the protectors are shown the location of the user, along with information on their battery status and any photos or notes taken during a specific event. The application allows the circle of protectors to communicate with one another to ensure the user is safe.
PROtect is now available for download on the iTunes store and Google Play.
