The Australian security company Swann is best known for its cameras, but also branches out into other areas of security, like the ActiveResponse Personal Alarm. If you’ve ever walked a street and felt unsafe, or been concerned for the safety of a loved one during their commute, a personal alarm could be the answer.
Gadgets like the Swann ActiveResponse take the form of a small portable device designed to deter an attacker or alert others in an emergency. Once activated, they emit a loud, piercing sound, which can put an attacker off or at least alert others around you that you are in distress.
Swann ActiveResponse features
The Swann ActiveResponse Personal Alarm is a wireless distress button and siren in a lipstick form factor.
Opening the box, you will find the alarm, a readily available CR2 disposable lithium battery, a key carabiner and a lanyard.
Installation requires inserting the battery by unscrewing the alarm and using the standard Swann security app (also used for Swann cameras) to activate it.
The activation process simply requires following the instructions on your smartphone app, which establishes a Bluetooth connection with your smartphone and asks you for an emergency contact. Emergency contact details can be changed in the app at any time, and the battery level can also be checked here.
The top of the unit features a pull ring, which, when pulled, emits a 120-decibel siren equivalent to a thunderclap or a chainsaw. This same ring can be twisted to a lock or unlock position. If the button is pressed in the unlocked position or pulled in either the locked or unlocked position, a Bluetooth signal is sent to your smartphone, which will then send a text message to your emergency contact with your current position.
Swann ActiveResponse specifications and price
| Battery | Cr2 Lithium |
| Siren volume | 120 Decibels |
| Dimensions | 2 x 6 cm |
| Weight | 32 grams |
| Price (RRP) | $39.95 |
| Website | Swann |
| Warranty | 2 years |
Using the ActiveResponse
As I began testing the alarm, I started thinking of additional uses for this device. For example, it could be used by an elderly person to call for help, issued to a remote worker who works alone, or even used as a check-in device to simplify someone’s arrival.
A feature that initially confused me was Swann promoting free SMS alerts. The alarm does require a constant connection to your smartphone. The SMS comes from your phone, which isn’t a big deal, considering most Australian SIM plans include unlimited text messages. This means you are just using one of your included texts.
If the alarm and the smartphone go out of Bluetooth range, which I found to be approximately 10 metres, the alarm press will not work, and no SMS will be sent. You must have the Bluetooth-tethered phone and alarm with you. When the alarm is out of range from the phone, it will emit a tone for 20 seconds.
When you do press the button, your emergency contact receives an SMS with the first words “EMERGENCY ALERT” They also receive a GPS position and link, which opens in Google Maps to show the location. For the alert to work, the emergency contact must be awake and responsive to the SMS message.
The alarm is loud and works as expected, but it is not so loud that it deafens you. The activation of it requires a stiff tug as compared to a gentle press to activate the SMS, the latter of which is more user-friendly for the elderly.
If you are travelling overseas, you must have mobile roaming activated, including SMS. If you don’t, the SMS alert will not be sent.
When you do not require the alarm for a period, the battery can be removed, or you can turn the ActiveResponse off by pressing the help button for 20 seconds.
Who is the Swann ActiveResponse for?
For peace of mind, the Swann ActiveResponse is a no-brainer at just under $40 for children, commuting at night or for an elderly person needing some help.
As long as you have a connected phone nearby and the emergency contact is aware they could receive an alert, then you have the confidence that someone is looking out for you. The siren does, however, work independently and will attract others to your situation, which may also be enough to deter a potential attacker.
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