SafeReturn

Video Demo

About this project

50,000 search and rescue missions are launched across the United States. Too often, responders begin with incomplete information: where the person was heading, what route they planned to take, what supplies they had, when they were expected back, and who to contact. Not because the information did not matter, but because no one captured it before the trip. This problem is personal to us. One member of our team survived a boating accident on the Columbia River. Three people did not, including an eight-year-old. That experience stayed with us because it showed how quickly a normal day outdoors can become an emergency, and how important clear information becomes when people are scared, time matters, and responders need answers fast. A pre-trip plan is supposed to solve that. It tells emergency contacts and responders where you are going, who you are with, what supplies you have, and when to start looking. The National Park Service recommends leaving a trip plan with someone you trust. But today, the current solution is usually a printable form buried on a government website. You print it, fill it out by hand, physically give it to someone, and rewrite it if plans change. Most people have never heard of it, and almost nobody uses it. SafeReturn digitizes the entire process. In under two minutes, adventurers can log their route, timeline, group members, gear, supplies, medical information, vehicle, and emergency contacts directly from their phone. When they finish, they share a single rescue-ready link with a trusted contact. If they do not return on time, that contact has the information police or search and rescue need immediately. No guesswork. No lost time. SafeReturn does not replace search and rescue. It gives them a head start. When time matters, “I think they went that way” is not enough.