Warnbro man’s idea to help improve communication for vulnerable people

A WARNBRO man has devised a system to help assist vulnerable people who may be faced with stressful situations.

The brainchild of Craig Wilson, the Self Care Rapid Aid Message (or SCRAM) is a unique system that uses QR codes to communicate issues and information between vulnerable people, their loved ones and authorities.

When scanned, depending on the level of authority of the scanner, information such as the person’s name, photo ID, emergency contact and advice on how to interact with them will be displayed.

Paramedics and police officers would also gain access to doctor verified information including blood type and chronic primary diagnosis.

Upon scanning, the system will also automatically send a message to the emergency contact letting them know their loved one may be in trouble or a stressful situation with a map showing where it occurred.

Mr Wilson said he was prompted into action after an incident involving one of his support group members.

“I’d have to say it was the straw that broke the camels back when one of our support group members was going through a rough time and she had an event where police had to come into her home…” he said.

“The sequence of events that occurred with assertive instructions and not knowing she had a diagnosed disability led to her being cuffed and forced into a police car then taken to a hospital where she had to be accompanied by an officer to help hospital staff control her.”

This situation, Mr Wilson said, could have been avoided if the SCRAM was deployed.

“Being a support system, it is used in times when a person with you would normally assist by stepping in,” he said.

“But when you’re alone and still need that help, that’s when you use SCRAM.

However, it is not just vulnerable people who can use the system with parents also able to used it to locate children who may become lost or simply to let you know they arrived where they are meant to be by scanning the card and sending the automated message, map and all.

Mr Wilson said conversations with St Johns Ambulance and WA Police were occurring with the hope that one day SCRAM may be used on the frontline.

“SCRAM is already being used by people and like it or not, front line services need to be aware of what this is and how it can help when people show it to them,” he said.

“St John Ambulance have been providing lots of help and are waiting to see how things go. The WA Police force is going to send an internal newsletter around to inform the officers.

“Like all new things, integration will take time, not everyone has QR scanners on an internet ready device and more advanced development is on its way. But as needs are found and solutions identified, work will be carried out to address it.”

A sufferer of epilepsy, Mr Wilson said the system took longer than it should have to develop but would not let its progress come at a cost.

“It has been a marathon effort over the last year or so in one way or another,” he said.

“At my best I could program a day at a time. When I could work after a seizure, I had to do simple tasks to avoid damaging the coding done.

“The personal effort to get things done is immense and although I’m doing it from my kids, I try not to think about who it will also benefit so as to reduce the stress associated with responsibility.

“I’m always aware of the time taken from my family and make an effort to put time in every week to spend individual time with each person. But that just helps me see how much support they need on an average day.

“In some ways it helps keep me focused and motivated.”