Why I Started Dwell Secure

Around 2012, at a time when I had been working for Shoreline Fire Department for over 10 years, the Shoreline Fire Department Public Information Officer asked me to teach some disaster-preparedness classes to the public. It was through my experience teaching these classes that I realized the citizens I served as a firefighter needed to know more than the basic list of supply items to have on hand if disaster strikes. With each class I taught, more and more attendees of these classes expressed that they were not aware as to how to shut off their basic utilities. Most of them could not even locate the shut-offs. While having utility shut-off information does not seem like necessary know-how, it could be vital in preserving citizens’ safety and properties.

Typically, if a resident or property owner has a water leak, a smoking electrical outlet, or the resident smells natural gas in the home, that person will simply call 911 and a few helpful people will respond in minutes to handle the situation at hand.  In those typical scenarios, the person does not need to know how to handle the property utilities because there are available individuals to handle it for them. The problem occurs when an area is experiencing a high volume of 911 calls, which means the local emergency resources are overwhelmed and unable to respond quickly (or at all) to those typical utility scenarios. This means the water flowing inside a property will lead to significant property damage while a resident waits for 911 responders.  This means the smell of flammable gas could lead to devastating results to the property, surrounding properties, or even one’s friends or family members inside the property. Knowing how to shut off a property’s utilities can save a property, a neighborhood, or a life. 

In the midst of disaster, when 911 response times to individual properties are exceptionally long, it could be too late to learn about utility shut-offs in the moment. I realized through my experience on the job that this information and know-how has never been necessary for citizens, nor has it been made readily available in a convenient manner. This is when I thought of the idea for Dwell Secure, an app that will allow citizens to access and store vital utility shut-off information and other important property data.

The idea for Dwell Secure has been kicked around for several years.  The first version is free and is currently available for download. Downloaders have the ability to mark the locations and store photos of the utilities.  The next version, which is currently being built, will help to manage a property owner’s entire property.  This upgraded build will enable a property owner to enter and store all of a property’s systems. Dwell Secure users will be able to mark utility locations, store important photos, enter the make/model of property equipment, set reminders to service equipment, and store the contact information of the company or person who does the equipment servicing.  Dwell Secure users will have the ability to remind a property owner to change smoke detector batteries, furnace filters, water filters, clean gutters, flush tankless water heaters, service sprinkler systems, flush irrigation systems, and tend to any other system on a property. This information will not only provide a hub of information to any authorized person, but it will help to preserve the life of a property.

Through my experience as a firefighter, I have learned how to help people in urgent situations. While it is my job to help people during these times, first responders like myself may not be readily available when a widespread emergency occurs in an area. Dwell Secure is an app that will empower property owners to secure their properties and safeguard them from disaster.