JWT Singapore develops Rapid Rescue mobile app for Singapore Red Cross Society

JWT Singapore and the Singapore Red Cross Society have rolled out Rapid Rescue, an innovative location-based app that allows people who face a medical emergency to use their iPhone to locate individuals near to them who are trained in first aid.

“It can take an ambulance some time to respond in certain situations. What if help was just around the corner in the form of a trained first-aider? This app could make the difference between life and death for victims who are in an emergency,” said Jun Fukawa, Chief Creative Officer at JWT Singapore. “We’re extremely excited to partner with the Red Cross on this project. It’s a great example of how smart phone technology and location-based software can be used to help aid organizations deliver assistance when – and where – it’s needed the most.”

There are tens of thousands of people across Singapore trained in first aid that could potentially render assistance within seconds in an emergency situation.  Until now, there was no way to capitalize on that resource.  JWT Singapore created Rapid Rescue, as a pro bono project for the Red Cross, to solve this problem.

Individuals who’ve been certified by the Red Cross can register as Rapid Rescue volunteers. In an emergency, a few taps through the app’s menu will send out an alert to registered volunteers within a two-kilometer range of the victim, using location based software.

Volunteers can choose to respond with two taps of the Rapid Rescue app on their own iPhone. The app then maps out the shortest route to the victim. The result: immediate help from a qualified person who can assist until the ambulance arrives.

Rapid Rescue, which can be downloaded from Itunes here, was demonstrated by Tee Tua Ba, the Chairman of Singapore Red Cross, and Halimah Yacob, Singapore’s Minister of State for Community, Youth and Sports through a live simulation at an event held on May 19 to mark International Red Cross Day. To put this app into action, a team of Red Cross volunteers on bikes, who patrol Singapore’s busy East Coast park on weekends, used the app to find and render assistance to a ‘victim’ who took part in the demonstration.

‘With the Rapid Rescue app, we can deliver first aid even faster to the community. This can make a difference between life and death for victims in an emergency,’ said Mr Tee Tua Ba, Chairman, Singapore Red Cross.

JWT and the Singapore Red Cross will extend assistance to national Red Cross units across Asia that wish to roll it out in their own markets later this year.  JWT Asia Pacific has offices in 18 countries.

“JWT Singapore continues to deepen its digital capabilities, and this app is one more example of our continuous effort to develop innovative digital solutions for our partners and clients,” said Valerie Cheng, Executive Creative Director at JWT Singapore.

Credits – Regional Executive Creative Director: Tay Guan Hin. Chief Creative Officer: Jun Fukawa. Executive Creative Director: Valerie Cheng. Creative Director: Parixit Bhattacharya. Digital Associate Creative Director: Alan Leong. Art Directors: Karan Dang, Celeste Ang. Copywriters: Parixit Bhattacharya, Karan Dang. Digital Producer: Siti Nuraini.