Paul Davidson, the inventor of SmartSiren, stands proudly at the podium during this year's annual State of Violent Crime conference. He knows all too well the type of situation that Ruth found herself in. He hears it all the time, but that's not the only type of situation that the Smart Siren helps protect against.
In fact, Paul knows all too well the experience of losing someone to a violent attack...
I'll never forget picking up the phone and hearing the news - Paul says.
Paul's own daughter Michelle had just graduated high school and had planned to celebrate with some friends at a local restaurant. Running late, she told her friends to grab a table and she would meet them inside.
But she never showed up.
When she was late to dinner, her friends tried calling her phone, but Michelle didn't pick up. After waiting for over an hour, they knew something was wrong. It was extremely unusual that Michelle would just blow off plans. They called the police, who came and investigated.
Michelle's purse was found in the parking lot. To this day, no one has heard from her.
I pray everyday for Michelle to return to us -Paul Davidson says, and I never want any parent to go through what we've gone through. Michelle is the whole inspiration for the Smart Sire Personal Alarm.
After Michelle's disappearance, Paul started researching the circumstances surrounding abductions.
"Police say the number-one reason that leads to successful kidnappings is the victim cannot make noise," Davidson, 52, says. "The kidnapper tries to keep the victim's mouth shut. The ability to easily make noise is absolutely crucial."
Hearing this statistic gave Paul the idea for the focal point of the SmartSiren alarm.
I had two main focuses, -Paul says. First is to make it as accessible to anyone and second make it as loud as possible.
But, Paul Davidson is hoping for more than just a kidnapping deterrent. He wants to help stop all kinds of crimes.
"It can be used fin so many different situations," he says. "Parents can give it to their kids as an extra layer of protection. Teenagers can use it so they can feel safe walking home. Women can know it's there when they have to use the parking garage at night. My mother, who is 76 years old, carries it around in case she falls and needs to alert people for help. I only wish I'd have thought of it earlier..."
His voice trails off. It's clear that his daughter remains heavy on his mind.
After Davidson is done speaking, Lisa and Christine get up to thank him personally for saving the young girl's life. But they have to get in line. It seems that Christine isn't the only person that the Smart Siren has helped!
Finally, after dozens of other people have had their turn to thank him, it's their turn to speak to Paul. Christine begins to thank him, but her mother cuts her off by embracing the man tightly, saying "thank you so much," over and over.
It's a story Davidson hears almost every day -how his Smart Siren device was able to help someone in need.
"But I never get tired of hearing it," he says with a smile.
Not just for the elderly...
The Smart Siren Personal Alarm has been helping people across the country, and it's more than just the elderly. Here are some of the people who are that much safer because of the Smart Siren device.
- Women can use it as a a crime deterrent, protecting themselves from attackers
- Kids are protected as they walk to school by keeping the SmartSiren keychain on their backpack
- Seniors can alert neighbors and people around them in emergency situations such as heart attacks, falls, and injuries
- And more
