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A longtime volunteer first responder with the Ramsey Rescue Squad and a recipient of the prestigious New York City Heroism and Bravery Award, he knows how critical minutes -- and even seconds -- are during an emergency. And so, in 2013, he created Share911.com to make help happen faster by reducing the time it takes for first responders to know that they need to respond and for people to help each other while waiting for help to arrive.
The Share911 system is not a substitute for 911 calls, but rather, a powerful tool that empowers co-workers to help each other and make more informed decisions to protect themselves while police, fire or EMS are en route, he explained.
For example, said Endress, when a school principal in one Bergen County community issued an evacuation alert at her school using Share911, the first police officer arrived at the school before anyone had evacuated. Why? Because the officer was on routine patrol, two blocks away and a second after the principal sent the alert, the officer knew where he needed to go.
"Without Share911, the principal has to alert the staff to evacuate and someone has to call 911 and talk to a 911-operator who is going to ask them questions," said Endress. "Then, a dispatcher takes the information that has been collected and relays it, via radio, to one or two officers who then respond to the school. We're taking at least 60-90 seconds out of the equation and that can mean lives are being saved."
As Chief Executive Officer of OnScene Technologies, Inc., makers of Share911.com, he's hoping to change that dynamic -- and already is. Many K-12 school districts in Bergen and throughout the state use the enterprise software package, in addition to a variety of nationwide clients. Endress said the majority of sales have come from word of mouth, especially in the school environment.
In the wake of recent events in Paris and San Bernardino, CA, Endress has seen a 20 percent increase in inquiries. "These incidents remind people that they can always be more prepared for the unimaginable," he said.
Go to www.Share911.com/ for more information.
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