Oklahoma retired paramedic's light bulb helps first responders find people's homes quicker
Johnathan Harrison tells Fox News Digital he created The Locator 911 after he responded to a call involving a 2-year-old child
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An Oklahoma man has invented a product to help first responders reach people in need as swiftly as possible.
Johnathan Harrison, a former paramedic from Tulsa, tells Fox News Digital the idea for The Locator 911 was sparked after he had responded to a cardiac arrest call in 2009 involving a 2-year-old child.
"We were unable to locate the residence quickly due to an inaccurate GPS device, multiple residences being on a single driveway and darkness at 1:30 a.m. This delay added another four minutes of time before care could begin on the child," Harrison said, adding that the child did not survive.
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"That call has haunted me and fueled my passion to bring The Locator 911 to a life-saving reality," he added.
The Locator 911 is a smart Wi-Fi LED light bulb used in your home’s porch lighting fixtures, with prices ranging from $29.99 to $34.99 at thelocator911.com. The everyday bulb includes an auto on/off timer that you can set for your porch light to come on and go off on its own as you desire.
"Then, when and if you need 911 services, open The Locator 911 mobile app and dial 911 as you normally would. The app then turns all the bulbs connected at your home from everyday-use bulbs to strobing and color changing beacons," Harrison said. "The bulbs will draw attention to your home and give first responders a visual confirmation of where they need to go even before they get close enough to see an address or mailbox."
Positive responses
Emergency responders have apparently been eager for a product like Harrison’s to arrive.
Jon Guthrie, a firefighter/paramedic in Middle Tennessee, told Fox News Digital he’s grateful for The Locator 911.
"As a paramedic and firefighter for 30 years, in Tennessee, I can tell you how frustrating it is to find houses," Guthrie said. "Mailbox or house numbers are hard to see, especially at night. Many houses don’t even have their boxes numbered."
Guthrie said people who need emergency assistance often say it will be the house with the porch light on but when you are driving down the road and many houses have porch lights, it’s not helpful.
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He said he now has a light that can be seen from "a ways away" and first responders are able to find the house.
"It literally can save minutes finding a house where someone is in need of help," Guthrie said.
Available in 31 states
The Locator 911 is now in 31 U.S. states, according to a post on its Facebook page.
Harrison said his product "can help get those seconds back before they are missed."
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"I can’t say the tragic call that started this journey would have ended any different had The Locator 911 been in use then, but I can say with 100% certainty that we would have gotten four more minutes to work on that child," he added.