Escalation Alerts
If someone misses their daily check-in, the app doesn't immediately alert everyone. It follows a thoughtful 4-stage process — gentle reminders first, urgent alerts only when genuinely needed.
The 4 Stages
Gentle Reminder
Push notification to the user: "Time to check in! Tap 'I'm Okay' to let your loved ones know you're safe."
Who is notified: User only
Second Reminder
Another push notification: "Reminder: Check in now." Maybe they were busy or didn't see the first one.
Who is notified: User only
Alert — Contact Notified
Both the user AND their emergency contact are notified. The user gets: "You haven't checked in for 2 hours." The contact gets: "[Name] hasn't checked in."
Who is notified: User + Contact (push + email. Protect Me: + SMS)
URGENT — Immediate Action Needed
Emergency contact receives urgent alert: "URGENT: [Name] hasn't checked in for 6 hours. Please try to contact them immediately."
Who is notified: Contact (push + email. Protect Me: + SMS)
What Happens When They Check In
If the user checks in at any point during the escalation, all alerts stop immediately. If Stage 3 or 4 was reached, the contact receives an "All Clear" message:
"Good news: [Name] has checked in and is okay. The earlier alert has been resolved."
If You Go Quiet for a While
The stages above handle a single missed check-in. But what if you stop checking in for days or weeks — the app slipped your mind, or life moved on? We don't want your emergency contacts getting reminder after reminder about an account that has simply gone quiet. So here is how the service is designed to handle a long lapse — gently, and always reaching out to you first.
1. We check on you directly
After a couple of quiet days we may send you a text, and around a week in an email — just making sure you're okay. These go to you, never your contacts.
2. We may gently pause monitoring
If we still haven't heard from you after an extended period (at least two weeks), we may automatically move your account to away mode and pause daily monitoring — so your contacts aren't worried by a false alarm on behalf of a lapsed account. If you have emergency contacts, we let them know too, so someone can check you're alright.
3. One check-in turns it all back on
A pause is never a deletion — nothing is removed, and your contacts stay put. Tap Check in (or Settings → How I check in → Everyday) and daily monitoring resumes instantly.
Paid subscribers are never silently paused. If a paid account goes quiet, we reach out first and keep your safety net fully on unless you decide to change it. This inactivity auto-pause is a safeguard we may apply to free accounts that have lapsed.
Notification Channels by Plan
| Stage | Free | Lifetime | Family |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1-2 (to user) | Push | Push | Push |
| Stage 3 (to contact) | — | — | Push + Email + SMS |
| Stage 4 URGENT (to contact) | — | — | Push + Email + SMS |
Common Questions
Can I disable escalation alerts?
You can pause check-ins temporarily in Settings. While paused, no reminders or alerts are sent.
What if they're just napping?
Stage 1-2 are gentle reminders only to the user. Contacts aren't alerted until Stage 3 (2 hours). This reduces false alarms.
Will my contact be alerted on the free plan?
Yes — once a month. Every plan is alert-only by default: your contact hears from us only if you go silent, never on a successful check-in. Try It (Free) alerts your one contact if you go quiet, capped at one alert per month. Stay Connected & Travel Safely raises that to up to 5 a month and adds an optional daily 'all good' note (opt-in). Unlimited alerts, full graded escalation, and SMS start with Protect Me ($29.99/year).
What if the user's phone is off?
If the phone is off, they can't check in or receive reminders. On Protect Me and above, after 2 hours the contact is alerted — which is the correct response when someone is unreachable.
What happens if I stop using the app for a long time?
We reach out to you first — a text after a couple of quiet days, an email around a week in — to check you're okay. If we still don't hear back after an extended period (at least two weeks), we may gently pause daily monitoring so your contacts aren't alarmed on behalf of a lapsed account, and if you have emergency contacts we let them know too. It's a reversible pause, not a deletion: one check-in turns everything back on. Paid subscribers are never silently paused.