SoloWise was designed
to reduce delays when time matters most
What is SoloWise?
SoloWise is a personal safety check-in system designed for people who live, work, or travel independently — and for the people who care about them. It offers peace of mind through automated, scheduled check-ins, not constant monitoring or tracking.
At its core, SoloWise is designed to reduce discovery and response times when something goes wrong. It creates clear expectations around when and where a check-in should occur, and it ensures that missed check-ins are noticed quickly and acted on without ambiguity or guesswork.
The system remains quiet when things go as planned, and alerts are only sent when attention is required. By minimizing noise, SoloWise ensures that when an alert does occur, it is meaningful, timely, and actionable.
The Evolution:
HikerAlert to SoloWise
SoloWise did not start as a blank slate. It evolved from HikerAlert, a scheduled check-in system originally created in 2012 for people hiking alone in areas with limited cell coverage and delayed rescue response.
HikerAlert was built around a simple but critical problem: when someone is alone, the difference between a minor incident and a serious outcome is often how quickly others realize something is wrong. By requiring users to define expectations about time and location in advance — and escalating only when those expectations weren't met — HikerAlert demonstrated that structured check-ins could meaningfully reduce discovery and response time without constant monitoring.
Over time, as our membership grew, it became clear that this need extended far beyond hiking. People working alone, traveling independently, living in rural areas, or seniors living alone faced the same fundamental challenge. SoloWise was created to expand that original system — modernizing the technology, broadening the use cases, and refining the design — while preserving the core principle that made HikerAlert effective: clarity, accountability, and action when it matters.
What Didn't Change
While SoloWise expanded beyond its original use case, the core design principles remained the same. From the beginning, the system was built around clear expectations about time and location, accountability, and timely action — not active tracking.
SoloWise does not notify contacts when everything is going right. Check-ins are intentionally quiet, and the system stays out of the way unless a scheduled check-in is missed, indicating that something could be wrong. This isn't about minimizing communication — it's about preserving meaning. When an alert is sent, it matters.
That restraint reflects how SoloWise is meant to fit into real life. Independence only works when it's trusted, and trust breaks down when every moment is treated as an emergency. By focusing attention on exceptions rather than activity, SoloWise helps ensure that when help is needed, it arrives faster.
Who SoloWise Is Built For
SoloWise is built for people who spend time alone, whether by choice or circumstance, as part of everyday life. That includes people who live independently, work alone, travel solo, or move through the world without someone regularly checking in on them.
In each of these situations, the challenge is the same: if something goes wrong, it may take added time before anyone realizes help is needed. SoloWise provides a simple structure for defining expectations about time and location in advance, so missed check-ins are noticed quickly and escalated with confidence.
Just as importantly, SoloWise is built for the people on the other end of those alerts. Family members, friends, coworkers, and supervisors don't constantly need to know you're OK, but they need to know as soon a possible when you're not. SoloWise is designed to deliver that information clearly, so the right response can begin without delay.
The Founder's Perspective
SoloWise was shaped by direct personal exposure to what happens when help arrives too late. Before building software, the founder spent over a decade working as a professional EMT-Paramedic, serving both in an urban 911 system and on a wilderness search and rescue team. In those roles, he saw the same pattern repeat itself: many of the worst outcomes were not caused by the initial injury or emergency, but by delays in discovery and response.
That experience fundamentally shaped how SoloWise was designed. The system is not built around constant supervision or theoretical risk reduction. It is built around a reality seen firsthand — that when someone is alone, uncertainty and time are often the most dangerous variables. Missed expectations, unclear escalation, and delayed awareness can compound quickly.
That experience also shaped how SoloWise models real-world context. In search and rescue, people are rarely found through a single data point. Children, pets, and vehicles are often the first clues to something being wrong. A car parked at a trailhead or a dog found alone in the woods can dramatically narrow search scope and accelerate response. SoloWise's ability to associate people with those real-world anchors isn't a convenience feature; it reflects how discovery actually happens when someone doesn't return as planned.
Responsibility & Limitations
SoloWise is designed to reduce uncertainty and response time when something goes wrong, but it cannot eliminate risk, replace personal judgement, or guarantee outcomes. It depends on proper setup, realistic check-in schedules, and reliable contact information. Like any system, it is only effective when used thoughtfully and as intended.
SoloWise does not replace emergency services, medical care, or common sense. It works by escalating missed expectations to the right people, who can then decide how to respond. Conditions such as connectivity, device availability, and human response time all play a role. By acknowledging these limits openly, SoloWise aims to be a dependable layer of support — not a promise of safety under all circumstances.
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