Emergency Call ZW - Keep all your emergency numbers in one spot
Emergency Call ZW is an app that stores all emergency numbers in one place.
This lightweight app makes life easy when you are in an emergency situation. In addition, it is freely available on Play Store and compatible with
almost all Android devices.
The history
I developed
this app after a real-life experience at an accident scene. Fortunately, there
were no fatalities but at the time that I arrived there, no one had called an
ambulance.
Upon inquiry, I discovered that no one had contacts
of the local ambulance services.
Eventually
I managed to make the necessary call (I‘m a health worker), but the experience
got me thinking...
How many
people have readily accessible emergency phone numbers in their phones? This is
something that people take for granted, leading to panic when faced with an emergency.
Instead of
keeping these emergency numbers mixed up with other regular contact numbers, I
figured out that the most convenient way is to package them in an app. That is
how Emergency Call ZW was born.
What it does
Emergency
Call ZW captures emergency numbers of services in Zimbabwe. You don’t have to
worry about memorizing any emergency phone number as it is hard-coded in the
app.
The main
emergency services are split into 8 types:
1. Fire department
2. Child services
3. Public works
4. Hospital
5. Tow truck
6. Ambulance services
7. Power company
8. ZRP
1. Fire department
If you fail
to put out a fire, it’s always good to alert the fire department immediately. Fire spreads very fast and can cause serious
damage. I looked up the contacts of
local fire departments online and they are not readily available.
With Emergency Call ZW, phone numbers of all fire departments are only a tap away.
2. Child services
Children
need a caregiver and if there is suspicion of child abuse, you need to call
Child Services.
There is a
toll-free number that is available and works in any part of the country.
Install the
app and help Child Services department take care of our children. There are no
call charges.
3. Public works
If you see
a burst water pipe or blocked sewer, you should alert Public works.
They are
always on stand-by 24/7 to fix such issues or anything urgent in their field.
Unattended
faults can pose health risks to the community so if you have Emergency Call ZW
in your phone, you quickly alert local council to rectify the problem.
4. Hospital
Zimbabwe
has central hospitals in major cities and smaller hospitals in other cities and
towns.
If there is
a medical emergency, you may need to call the nearest hospital and get
assistance.
This is
crucial when you travel because you never know when hospital services are
needed urgently.
There is no
need to worry as all phone numbers of major hospital services in the country
are included in the app.
5. Tow truck
Are you are
a driver? If yes then you definitely need to keep contacts of a tow truck in your phone
because you never know when a breakdown occurs.
You can
also get involved in an accident and need towing services urgently.
Emergency
Call ZW has contacts of towing company that offers its services nationwide.
6. Ambulance services
Ambulance
services provide rapid transport of a patient from the point of collection to
the nearest hospital.
In
addition, the crew provides emergency resuscitation to minimize morbidity and
mortality.
One example is someone who falls in a diabetic coma. The EMT can quickly resuscitate before transporting the patient to a hospital.
(Make sure you check out another app to track blood sugar readings if you have Diabetes Mellitus).
You should
definitely keep numbers of local ambulance services in case there is an
emergency that requires their intervention.
Get the app
and you don’t have to worry about your family’s safety.
7. Power company
The local
power company, ZETDC, encourages people to report any faults in the power lines
so that there is continuous supply of electricity to businesses and homes.
Sometimes
these faults can trigger fires which results in damage so repairs need to be
done on time.
The app
stores ZETDC numbers in all regions so even if you are travelling and you see a
fault, you can contact the local ZETDC branch.
I use the app
to call our local response team every time there is a blackout.
This has
proved to be helpful as sometimes they won’t be aware of the fault but in some
cases it is routine load shedding.
8. ZRP
Our police
force works 24/7 and if you suspect that there is a crime taking place, you use
the app to make a call.
You also
get to sleep peacefully at night knowing that you have contact numbers of the
local police service.
All phone
numbers of major ZRP police stations were populated in the app.
How to download the app
The app is completely free and works offline. Default numbers of common emergency services in all major services come with the app. You can, however, add your own numbers and access them anytime.