WHAT IS MERESCUE APP?
Merescue is a web application that basically sees to the reporting of dangerous situations at times and places of danger or surprise attack or ambush by any violent groups and individuals.
HOW DOES MERESCUE WORK?
Merescue basically focuses on email alarm sending to the Nigerian rescue agencies such the NPF, the Amotekun etc and for an easier approach, it allows rescuers to send rescue alarms via mail to these agencies by the selection of an agency and the click of a button, name inclusion is optional but can also help in finding and recognising the alarmer on the response mission. The app in the background captures the alarmer’s position or point or area of the report (map coordinates) and includes both a textual address and a map in the details that are sent to the agencies (via mail) which they on their end can access or view (in their mail) or by clicking a button that redirects them to a certain page on the app.
If the government permits, we hope to foster the process by running a follow up message to selected rescue agents to ensure a smooth and complete process.
IS MERESCUE ONLY FOR EMERGENCY CASES?
Merescue can also be used for suspicious alarms. A nervous person can easily send a suspicious alarm to the Nigerian Police which they can reply to to confirm their safety. This requires a login to generate more info including a phone number and an image (optional) which the rescue agents can use for a response mission if necessary.
WHAT OTHER FEATURES ARE CONTAINED IN MERESCUE APP?
Other features include:
1. Third party rescue alarm _ an observer or an aware family or friend can
raise similar alarms on behalf of a third person in danger.
2. Missing reports _ this is a feature to help have a blog for missing
reports of the people. A reporter can post to the missing page which is
validated and made public so the people who visit the page as well as
the regular blog page where all posts appear respectively can reach
out to the respective agencies in case of any update WHICH IS TO BE
TAKEN TO THE POLICE STATION. Missing reporters are cautioned to
only use the police station in getting news of public updates about
their missing individual(s).
3. Share buttons _ users can share the app to facebook, linkedin and
reddit to inform others about the helpful application.
HOW SECURE IS MERESCUE IN TERMS OF USE AND USER’S DATA?
This is a good question, but before answering it, we are glad to say that careful deliberations and considerations had gone before the final publishing of the app. For instance we purposely made the rescuers receiving rescue alarms the government agencies as we envisage the deceitful use of some lunkheads who may try to raise a fake rescue alarm just to dishonestly commit crimes thereby using the app in a negative way and so on.
Now answering the question in the digital or cyber perspective. We have
considered two things while developing the merescue app viz:
a. Merescue server safety
b. Users’ data protection
The former is essential so that attackers do not destroy the application in any
form such that they stop it from functioning and serving its purposes.
Examples of such attacks include cross site scripting attacks, code injections,
cookies etc.
The latter ensures that no data of the users is kept illegally let alone used in any way. As for the urgent alarm, there is no personal or contact data included let alone financial data like bank account details or BVN. Only the current position of alarmers are captured and their name field is optional. As for the suspect alarm, the phone number is only sent to the Nigerian security agents they themselves choose.
Other report pages follow the same concept.
IS MERESCUE FREE?
Yes, merescue is completely free without any hidden charges! This is the good thing about it. As a humanitarian project, to foster governmental efforts and fight against crimes that endangers human lives, such a project is always expected to be both freely available and openly used.
IS MERESCUE A SPONSORED PROJECT, IF NOT HOW DO YOU GENERATE MONEY TO MANAGE THE APP?
Merescue is not a sponsored project, however, anyone, whether an individual, an organisation or even the government can support us financially via the email available on the app pages as we do not have a physical office for security purpose. Our email is contact@merescue.com.ng. Support will indeed help in the smooth management of the project. The management continues to deliberate on how to fund it further.
Merescue, Ng
The Management