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El Cajon brothers create emergency response app inspired by father's call to 911 dispatch

With two clicks, Rescu will connect you with a private dispatcher to send police, fire or ambulance in hopes of making it easier and faster

EL CAJON, Calif. — A near tragedy led to an emergency app created by an El Cajon family. Rescu provides a personal emergency dispatcher with the click of an app.

The Piscatelli's family business Watchlight Corporation has been around in San Diego County for decades.

“We have been in private security, private dispatch with and public safety for 49 years,” said Paolo Piscatelli. 

He and his brother Niccolo created the Rescu app.

“When you are in your most worst moments and you might not be able to speak or communicate effectively with 911 dispatch you are able to hit a button twice and get help out to your house,” said Nicollo Piscatelli.

You can choose fire, police or ambulance

The app is personal to the family.

“Our dad, in 2016, had a medical emergency,” said Paolo.

Their father, Paul, was having stomach pain and had a hard time communicating his emergency to 911.

“[They asked] 'Sir could you please calm down?' 'What is your closest cross street?' 'On a scale of 1-10, how much pain are you in?'” said Paolo. “It took about 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.”

After his dad recovered, he and his sons got to work to help make it easier and faster for 911.

“It hits close to home. We knew that we had to change a way to get emergency services,” said Paolo.

The 9-1-1 communications system is way behind. The system was built from landlines back in 1968 and it wasn't until 2021 you could text 911 anywhere in San Diego County.

9-1-1, which was the last system in the county to allow text. Still, there's a lot of work to do to make it more efficient nationwide.

“This is the future. This is hands down where the industry is going or should go,” said Niccolo.

Once you download the app, there's an annual subscription for $59 or Prime Rescu $99 a year.

Since your personal information such as your name, your address, your location, your type of emergency, if you have diabetes, is already loaded in the app, this bypasses a lot of questions private dispatchers need to ask when you chat live through text or the phone.

Since the security business already had private dispatchers they too answer the call or text in Rescu.

“We want to verify emergencies and reduce false alarms and false alerts and improve communication and data with our first responders,” said Paolo.

You can save emergency contacts in the app and they are notified when there’s a response.

This has become a lifesaver for some communities.

“We didn't realize the impact on the deaf community. We didn't realize the struggle they had,” said Niccolo.

Their dad has since passed but the brothers believe he would be proud of their latest lifesaving service.

“It could save you or a loved one’s life,” said Paolo.

You can download the Rescu app on iOS or Android.

WATCH RELATED: San Diego addresses long ambulance response times as new company takes over 

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