Introducing Safety ALRT

Founder of Safety ALRT
Oct 7
3 min read

Why We Need Safety ALRT, not just Globally but here in Australia

From online misinformation to real-world emergencies, the speed at which risk spreads has never been greater. Whether it’s a bushfire evacuation, a cyber threat, or a violent protest unfolding overseas, people need trusted, real-time alerts, not noise.

Globally, the rise in digital and physical hazards has outpaced the systems built to protect us. The World Health Organization has identified misinformation and disinformation as “a major public health threat” (WHO, 2024). In Australia, the problem is equally pressing.

70% of Australians experienced at least one negative online event in the past year (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2024).
Cybercrime costs Australians over $3 billion annually, with individuals the most common victims (Australian Cyber Security Centre, 2024).
The 2019–20 bushfires and 2022 Northern Rivers floods exposed how communities still struggle to access verified, timely information when disasters strike (Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, 2020).

The evidence is clear: risks are increasing, but trustworthy communication tools haven’t kept pace.

That gap inspired ALRT | Alert. Location. Real-Time. Travel.

The Reason ALRT Exists

ALRT was created to connect people to verified, actionable information when it matters most. It brings together official data feeds, community-verified reports, and behavioural science to help users recognise, respond to, and reduce risk.

Unlike traditional apps that push one-way notifications, ALRT invites participation. It enables users to confirm alerts, earn experience points for accurate reporting, and learn to interpret environmental, security, or health signals more effectively- reinforcing behavioural readiness.

In short: it’s built for prevention, not panic.

Each feature is designed not just for convenience, but for psychological safety and user empowerment. When people feel in control, they respond more calmly and effectively to emergencies - a principle grounded in decades of resilience and behavioural research.

The Science Behind ALRT

Behavioural science tells us that people rarely act on logic alone, they act on emotion, cues, and timing. During crises, stress narrows attention and impairs decision-making. ALRT leverages “nudges” - small, timely prompts to improve judgment under pressure.

As Nobel laureates Thaler and Sunstein (2008) showed, nudging can dramatically improve outcomes in health and safety. Similarly, studies in risk communication highlight that early, clear, and context-specific alerts reduce harm by improving situational awareness and response time (AIDR, 2023).

ALRT’s design fuses these insights with real-time technology, transforming alerts into actionable awareness rather than reactive alarm.

Building a Safer Digital and Physical World

The future of safety technology is collaborative - blending verified intelligence, human judgment, and adaptive learning. ALRT is the next step toward that future.

Over the coming months, the ALRT team will:

Launch the MVP
Pilot user testing for feedback and feature refinement.
Expand verified alert feeds
Build partnerships with safety, travel, and insurance organisations.

Whether you’re travelling, working remotely, or living in a hazard-prone area, ALRT is here to keep you aware, informed, and ready to act -wherever you are.

Resources used.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2024). Online safety: Measuring what matters. https://www.abs.gov.au
Australian Cyber Security Centre. (2024). Annual Cyber Threat Report. https://www.cyber.gov.au
Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience. (2023). Disaster Resilience Education for Young People. https://knowledge.aidr.org.au
Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. (2020). Final Report. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Yale University Press.
World Health Organization. (2024). Misinformation as a Public Health Threat. https://www.who.int