As the father of two teenage girls (one high school and one college), I worry about their safety when they are on their own. I know that they have been raised well and have good heads on their shoulders, but sometimes even the most cautious people find themselves in situations beyond their immediate control. Now that they are traveling on their own to/from school and extracurricular activities, and *gasp* dates, providing each of them with a Flare bracelet gives them the power to get out of dangerous situations and get help if they need it (and gives me a little peace of mind).
The first step is to connect the Flare bracelet to the app on your smartphone, set your preferences, and create a list of emergency contacts. Once set up, there are two subtle actions that trigger a Flare’s features if you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, both triggered with the small button on the side of the Flare bracelet. Hold down the small button on your bracelet to send your friends your GPS location so they can check on you. You can also include a simultaneous alert to a trained agent who can send 911 to your location—this free and optional feature can be turned on or off anytime. The second option is to tap the button once to trigger a fake call to your phone so you have an excuse to leave—this particular feature has been used several times already during our in-person testing when “this creepy dude was trying to talk to me” on public transit.
Let’s be honest, though, you can provide the tool for safety, but if it is sitting in a drawer at home, that defeats any effect. Flare has more than taken care of that with three different styles of bracelets (cuffs, leather bracelets, or beaded bracelets), each with a selection of materials and finishes.
I like my Flare’s design because it is chic and sleek; many of my friends have commented how pretty my bracelet is. It makes me feel safer while not drawing attention to itself.
— honest quote from a 14-year-old user
The other big concern I had was making sure that the device was charged and available when they needed it while still looking like jewelry. Apparently, the designers had the same thoughts and found that the solution would be to make the batteries in Flare bracelets non-rechargeable, instead featuring a smaller battery that lasts for a year and not requiring the extra hardware needed to recharge a battery. Users are notified automatically (by email and text) when the battery is nearing empty so they can replace their bracelets. This ensures that the bracelet is always prepared no matter what. The kids are always grabbing their Flare as they walk out the door—not the time to realize the battery is low. Right now, Flare is still exploring refurbishment/recycling options for used Flare bracelets.
You can choose your Flare bracelet (or bracelets) and purchase directly at getflare.com. Please note that this is not an affiliate link, as I personally believe in the product and the company’s mission, I wanted all orders to benefit Flare directly.
All opinions in this review are completely that of the reviewer. Flare bracelets were provided for the purposes of the review.
