Alert Cops

Information and help in the IT field of computers, internet, ISP's, mobile and fixed line telephones plus satellite TV systems.
Beachcomber
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 11081
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: Guadalhorce Valley

Alert Cops

Postby Beachcomber » Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:21 am

I have opened this thread as a result of concerns expressed about emergency services locating rural addresses. I will go into it in more depth when I have a little more time but if anyone else has experience of this app please feel free to contribute.

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Alert Cops

Postby El Cid » Tue Sep 03, 2019 11:31 am

I have it, but never used it in anger. It did, however, get me out of a tricky situation when stopped by the Guardia with no ID at all. I just showed them my personal data in the app and they were happy with that - I still got the speeding fine!

Sid

User avatar
gerryh
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 8046
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:17 pm
Location: Cajiz, Malaga

Re: Alert Cops

Postby gerryh » Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:05 pm

I have it on my phone.
I live in the campo and my location shows very accurately.
Anybody should beable to follow the map and find me.
Alert Cops is only meant for calling the police.
Not sure what would happen if I needed an ambulance or fire brigade.
Cheers
Gerry
Gerry Harris

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Alert Cops

Postby El Cid » Tue Sep 03, 2019 5:27 pm

For ambulance call 061 and fire 080. Presumably they use this system as well. If not keep your GPS coordinates handy.

I’m sure a call to Alertcops would also be able to connect you as they will have your GPS details.

It would be good if Salud Respond had an emergency option that would pick up your location from your mobile.

Sid

User avatar
Wicksey
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5879
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 1:21 pm
Location: Axarquia coast

Re: Alert Cops

Postby Wicksey » Thu Sep 05, 2019 11:15 am

When my neighbour tried to give the GPS co-ordinates for an ambulance they apparently didn't want to know. There was an online translator that went between her and the ambulance service on the phone but whether something got lost in translation I don't know.

Even when we did locate the ambulance after 4 hours, they then refused to drive down to her house. A police car was also with the ambulance trying to locate the house and in the end the Drs all got into the police car and drove there. It has brought it home to me about the possible difficulties of being in the campo, but then I can drive and would go out to the health centre if necessary to bring an ambulance here. We aren't far at all from the main road or pueblo so I'm not sure what went wrong.

User avatar
knowal
Resident
Posts: 1911
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 9:35 pm
Location: England

Re: Alert Cops

Postby knowal » Thu Sep 05, 2019 1:36 pm

Do they want your location in degrees minutes and seconds, (e.g. 37 degrees 20 mins 3 secs North) or in degrees and decimal degrees (example 37.3333 degrees N) as many satnavs use?

Beachcomber
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 11081
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: Guadalhorce Valley

Re: Alert Cops

Postby Beachcomber » Thu Sep 05, 2019 2:46 pm

There is also degrees, minutes and decimal minutes.

I have been looking at direct calling Android apps and one that seems to fill the bill is 'Emergency Services: Europe' which is said to work in Spain, UK, Greece, Portugal and Holland:

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pl ... wViiyTXT7T

Unfortunately there are no reviews and it is impossible to test it to see if it works unless you raise a false alarm which probably would not be appreciated.

Alert Cops is just that, to call the police or Guardia Civil although I am sure they would not hang up on you if you used the service to call for an ambulance to an undocumented, unidentifiable address in a rural area.

User avatar
gerryh
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 8046
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:17 pm
Location: Cajiz, Malaga

Re: Alert Cops

Postby gerryh » Thu Sep 05, 2019 4:28 pm

Just downloaded and installed the app.
looks as if it could be very useful provided the emergency services can find my location on whatever mapping system they use.
Google maps can find me very accurately.
If ever I have to use it, and am still alive after using it, I will let you all know whether it works or not.
Cheers
Gerry
Gerry Harris

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Alert Cops

Postby El Cid » Thu Sep 05, 2019 4:31 pm

I’m pretty sure your phone sends your location automatically.

Sid

User avatar
gerryh
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 8046
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:17 pm
Location: Cajiz, Malaga

Re: Alert Cops

Postby gerryh » Thu Sep 05, 2019 4:45 pm

OK even if it does send the location it will depend on what mapping system they input the location into.
I have a Sat nav system on my phone and their mapping system thinks I am not accessible by road.
As I said, Google maps shows the road to my location.
The technicians from Securitas Direct, my alarm company, can never find me.
I have to drive down and lead them to my house.
Cheers
Gerry
Gerry Harris

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Alert Cops

Postby El Cid » Thu Sep 05, 2019 5:07 pm

It’s can’t be difficult. What3words does it and on the iPhone you can send your GPS location to anyone you want. It’s the same with the “find my friends” function. I cannot believe that the emergency services cannot use this technology.

Sid

Beachcomber
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 11081
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2004 11:11 pm
Location: Guadalhorce Valley

Re: Alert Cops

Postby Beachcomber » Thu Sep 05, 2019 6:24 pm

In the very rare event that I actually want someone to find my house I just attach my location to a Telegram message and it sends them a small section of Google maps which can be opened out into a full map.

You can also do it with WhatscrApp if there is no other alternative and probably with other messaging apps as well.

User avatar
gerryh
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 8046
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2008 6:17 pm
Location: Cajiz, Malaga

Re: Alert Cops

Postby gerryh » Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:25 pm

Sid I think you are missing my point.
Agreed that anybody should be able to receive map co-ordinates but it is what they do with then that matters.
When I first moved here I could put my co-ordinates into my dedicated Sat Nav device but it's maps didn't have the very old tracks that led to my house on them.
Same with an Sat Nav app I have on my phone.
Google maps have the tracks on it's maps.
If the emergency services using a mapping system that doesn't have my very old local tracks on it then they will not be able to find me.
Cheers
Gerry
Gerry Harris

El Cid
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 16058
Joined: Sun Oct 24, 2004 10:42 pm
Location: La Herradura, Costa Tropical, Granada

Re: Alert Cops

Postby El Cid » Thu Sep 05, 2019 7:40 pm

If you are that worried about it you could move! :D :D Or erect a huge flagpole with " Gerry lives here on it!" :D :D

Their nav system may not show the tracks but with direction and distance guidance from their GPS they should find you.

Sid

User avatar
Wicksey
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 5879
Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 1:21 pm
Location: Axarquia coast

Re: Alert Cops

Postby Wicksey » Fri Sep 06, 2019 9:40 am

I understand what Gerry is talking about as the tracks around us never used to be on any mapping system. A couple of times now I've been asked to send my location via Whatsapp and I was amazed when they turned up right at my door. I see on Google maps that if I click on my house the house number (as per my escritura and cadastral records) comes up.

The only problem with the Google mapping of tracks is that they show ones that have long since gone. Obviously people staying in holiday rental houses on the other side of the valley now prefer to go across country as their satnav is telling them it's quicker, but I've lost count how many cars have gone down a now defunct track only to have to try to back all the way out again, and often in the middle of the night.

markwilding
Andalucia Guru
Posts: 7777
Joined: Fri Aug 14, 2009 11:02 am
Location: Bilbao Spain

Re: Alert Cops

Postby markwilding » Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:48 pm

I don't think any mapping system is going to be absolutely perfect. The old paper maps system wasn't perfect and new ones had to be bought every few years. Even in my car I prefer to use my phone's GPS apps rather than the inbuilt car one because they tend to be more up to date.

Although Sid jests a little, he does have a point in that living out in the sticks will always present problems which city dwellers won't have. If the app helps 80 per cent of the population, then that's not bad for a start and provided GPS mapping companies continue trying to improve their services, we have to accept the current situation.

My preferred GPS app is Waze, which I use whenever possible.


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests