Sure, almost everyone has a smartphone these days, but the little jewels don't work everywhere all the time, and there are times when we don't carry them. Fortunately, other wireless technologies fill those voids. One of them is remote call boxes, which will be used to keep people in Southern California safe as they enjoy the outdoors. The Los Angeles River biking and walking path is a busy place. All day and night, riders and walkers make use of this lengthy urban path. The path is not immune to crime, and its isolation and lack of signage could make it difficult for police and paramedics to respond quickly. And of course, many joggers do not carry cell phones. The Alliance of River Communities, a coalition of neighborhood councils, is trying to focus attention on the issue. Chairman Hector Huezo, in a letter to the city council, wrote: "Currently, absent of a smartphone, persons using the path have few options for identifying their location along the path if they should ever need to report a crime, incident, or call for help." Last week, Los Angeles council member Gilbert Cedillo responded by introducing a motion to install remote call boxes and new signage along the L.A. River to improve public safety. "As we move forward with revitalizing the river, we have to make sure we have the necessary public safety measures in place to ensure the well-being of those who visit our green open space along the river path," Cedillo said. The Cedillo motion says, "The city should also explore mapping specific locations along the river for emergency call boxes. Call boxes can be a useful tool along the river path, where many joggers may not have their phone or lose reception while jogging." Remote call boxes work well in conjunction with other public safety features—such as better signage, better lighting, and wayfinding measures (maps and an intuitive layout to aid orientation). These efforts create a complete urban path with a focus on safety and connectivity. BearCom provides a full line of customizable wireless call boxes that are well suited for urban environments. These call boxes are designed with push-to-talk, release-to-listen operation. They can also be used to turn on a strobe light to flag the location for security personnel and listen to activity nearby. TodaysWirelessWorld.com explores the benefits of these safety features in "Remote Call Boxes Help Save Lives and Trim Expenses." Remote call boxes serve as a deterrent to crime. Many of our customers have told us that once they installed the devices, reports of criminal activity declined. So not only does having them save money over the long run, they can be highly effective at keeping people safer. More and more people depend on cell phones, but when urban planners consider how to develop a public space, they need to go further. Remote call boxes offer reliability in areas where public safety is a priority.