Method and apparatus for creating emergency social network

A computer implemented emergency contact method comprising:

• a) determining by a portable computing device whether a wireless network with advanced capability is available;
• b) sending by the portable computing device a minimum data set and a location of the portable computing device to a public safety answering point, if an advanced wireless network is available;
• c) opening a connection between the portable computing device and the public safety answering point, if the advanced wireless network is available;
• d) establishing a telephone connection with the public safety answering point, if the advanced wireless network is not available;
• e) determining whether a server configured to interact with the portable computing device is available;
• f) publishing the minimum data set and location on a predetermined website and establishing a telephone connection with the public safety answering point, if a server configured to interact with the portable computing device is not available;
• g) displaying a push to call button, a push to video button, a send picture button and a push to text button, if a server configured to interact with the portable computing device is available, and:
• h) if the user presses the push to call button, establishing a telephone connection with the public safety answering point;
• i) if the user presses the push to video button, sending a video captured by the portable computing device to the server;
• j) if the user presses the send picture button, sending a picture captured by the portable computing device to the server;
• and
• k) if the user presses the push to text button, establishing a text connection between with the portable computing device and the server, wherein establishing a telephone connection with the public safety access point includes determining whether the portable computing device is located in a domestic location or a foreign location, and:
• (i) if the portable computing device is located in a domestic location, displaying an emergency telephone number and establishing a telephone call using the displayed emergency telephone number;
• or
• (ii) if the portable computing device is located in a foreign location, displaying a local emergency telephone number and a telephone number of an embassy for a user of the portable computing device and establishing a telephone call using the displayed local emergency telephone number and/or the displayed embassy telephone number.

An apparatus for emergency communications comprising:

• a server storing information regarding a plurality of public safety answering points;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon a mobile application to be executed on a handheld computing device to cause a processor to:
• communicate with the server;
• establish one or more connections via the server with an appropriate one of the plurality of public safety answering points upon activation of an emergency button, wherein said one or more connections include one or more of the following connections:
• voice, text, image and video;
• enable a user to store private information to share in an emergency situation;
• enable a user to create and store a list of contacts for a customized private social emergency response network with which to send the stored private information in an emergency situation;
• establish on the server, during an emergency situation, a platform via which the user and those listed in the list of contacts for the customized private social emergency response network can share information;
• and
• send to those on the list of contacts the stored private information during an emergency situation, wherein the mobile application further causes the processor to establish a telephone connection with the public safety access point by determining whether the handheld computing device is located in a domestic location or a foreign location, and:
• (i) if the handheld computing device is located in a domestic location, the mobile application causes the processor to display an emergency telephone number and establish a telephone call using the displayed emergency telephone number;
• or
• (ii) if the handheld computing device is located in a foreign location, the mobile application causes the processor to display a local emergency telephone number and a telephone number of an embassy for a user of the handheld computing device and establish a telephone call using the displayed local emergency telephone number and/or the displayed embassy telephone number.