Personal safety network

A method for establishing an expanded personal safety network, said method comprising the steps of:

• establishing a first personal safety network (first PSN) having a first plurality of wireless communication devices each of which is running a first PSN mobile application, each of said first plurality of wireless communication devices associated with one of a plurality of authorized first PSN participants, a first PSN administrative server running a first PSN administrative application, and a first PSN push notification server, wherein said first plurality of wireless communication devices, said first PSN administrative server, and said first PSN push notification server cooperate to enable distribution of virtually real-time, multi-way, messaging among up to all of said plurality of authorized first PSN participants;
• establishing a second personal safety network (second PSN) having a second plurality of wireless communication devices each of which is running a second PSN mobile application, each of said second plurality of wireless communication devices associated with one of a plurality of authorized second PSN participants, a second PSN administrative server running a second PSN administrative application, and a second PSN push notification server, wherein said second plurality of wireless communication devices, said second PSN administrative server, and said second PSN push notification server cooperate to enable distribution of virtually real-time, multi-way, messaging among up to all of said plurality of authorized second PSN participants;
• transmitting a request to link from said first PSN to said second PSN;
• approving said request;
• updating said first PSN administrative application to recognize said plurality of authorized second PSN participants;
• and
• updating said second PSN administrative application to recognize said plurality of authorized first PSN participants.

A personal safety network comprising:

• a plurality of wireless communication devices, each of said wireless communication devices associated with one of a plurality of authorized personal safety network participants, each of said wireless communication devices running a mobile application operable to register with an administrative server, to originate outbound messages by a first one of said plurality of authorized personal safety network participants, to wirelessly transmit said outbound messages to said administrative server, and to wirelessly pull inbound messages from said administrative server by polling said administrative server;
• said administrative server running an administrative application, said administrative application operable to create and maintain an identification record for each of said plurality of authorized personal safety network participants, to organize said plurality of authorized personal safety network participants into members of one or more groups, each of said members having a personal safety network permission, said personal safety network permission enabling each of said messages to be effectively addressed to a second one of said plurality of authorized personal safety network participants or each of the members of at least one of said one or more groups;
• and
• wherein said plurality of mobile devices and said administrative server cooperate to enable distribution of virtually real-time, multi-way, messaging among all of the members of said at least one of said one or more groups.