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WHO IS RESCUE ALERT?
Rescue Alert has been in the medical alert business since 1981. Currently, they are headquartered in South Jordan, Utah. Back in 1981, Richard Bangerter and his colleagues created a stand-alone emergency communication system called SOSTEN. In 1986 Rescue Alert was born and they got into medical alert monitoring by 1990.
Rescue Alert is a family owned business with a dedication to quality medical alert monitoring services. All the dispatch center representatives are EMT trained to provide help instantly when you push your medical alert button. They also provide medical alert monitoring services in over 150 different languages and have a redundant call center also in Utah.
REVIEW SUMMARY
Rescue Alert’s website is very basic, but they do offer an array of medical alert products to choose from such as a traditional landline system and an on-the-go GPS option. All of their systems can utilize their automatic fall detection pendant as an add-on feature.
There are three system packages that Rescue Alert offers:
1. MXD-Landline Base Unit: Traditional in-home medical alert system that uses a landline. It is compatible with VoIP, cable and traditional telephone systems. Per Rescue Alert, the unit has a microphone and speaker that provides loud and clear two-way communication between the user and the Rescue Alert response center. The Rescue Alert MXD unit monitors it’s battery and the battery of the medical alert button, it performs automatic tests and checks the status of the phone line.
2. Rescue Alert GPS System: On-the-go coverage with GPS tracking that also works on the AT&T 3G cellular network. It has a 48 hour battery life and is monitored by EMD certified dispatchers at the response center
3. myActive Alert: Water-resistant automatic fall detection pendant that can be used with any of the systems above except the GPS system. The pendant has 600-1,000 feet of range.
*Rescue Alert does have add-on Wall Buttons that can be added to the MXD and MXD3G systems.
PROS
No equipment or set-up charges, no long-term contracts, EMD certified operators in 150 different languages, medical alert coverage options such as GPS and automatic fall detection, and advanced payment discounts. The monitoring center is owned and operated by Rescue Alert. Rescue Alert also does periodic tests of the equipment and they offer soft touch buttons for those with arthritis and optional wall mounts.
CONS
No pill reminder, carbon monoxide or smoke detector options available. Monitoring center is not TMA Five Diamond certified. The no-phone line system requires AT&T to be available in your area and does not work with other cellular carriers. No wellness or activity monitoring options.
Monthly equipment rental/monitoring expenses are quite high compared to other medical alert device companies. Payment plans can be confusing. They do not offer the latest voice-in-pendant technology with their in-home systems and their GPS mobile system does not have a fall detection option.
Rescue Alert vs. Bay Alarm Medical Alert
Rescue Alert and Bay Alarm are two popular medical alert systems that offer 24/7 monitoring services to seniors and individuals with medical conditions. Rescue Alert offers two main products which include an in-home system and a mobile device with GPS tracking, while Bay Alarm offers in-home systems and a pendant with fall detection technology. You can add fall detection services with Rescue Alert for an additional cost. Both companies offer 24/7 monitoring services and have highly trained staff to respond to emergency calls. Ultimately, the choice between Rescue Alert and Bay Alarm will depend on the individual’s specific needs and preferences.
RATING: 
COMPARE DEVICE FEATURES:
PROS & CONS TO CONSIDER | How did Rescue Alert do? |
| Price | Rescue Alert Review |
| Cost for Equipment | Free equipment and free shipping with their rental option. You can also purchase their equipment outright, which starts at $199.00 and receive a discounted monthly monitoring fee. |
| Cost Per Month | The MXD-Landline Base Unit monthly cost starts at $32.95 per month if you are renting the equipment. |
| Advance Payment Discounts | Yes |
| Monitoring Agreement Term | No long-term contract however you must notify them in writing if you decide to cancel or they will continue to charge you until you do. |
| Repairs or Replacement Charges | $234.00 to replace the base device and $35.00 to replace the pendant if it’s lost or damaged. |
| Cancellation Policy & Discounts | Rescue Alert Review |
| Cancel at Any Time | Yes, but it must be in writing and you will have to pay for return shipping. |
| Senior Discount | No |
| Other Discounts | Refer a friend and you’ll both receive a free month. |
| Equipment | Rescue Alert Review |
| Approximate Button Range in Typical Home | Button range is approximately 600 ft |
| Watch/Button Battery Life | Button reports when battery is low, but lasts about 5 years. GPS pendant must be charged and lasts approximately 48 hours between charges. |
| What Happens if I Lose Power | The in-home system has approximately 90 hours of battery back-up. |
| Is the Watch/Button Waterproof | Yes |
| How Can The Button Be Worn | Neck or wrist |
| UL Certified Equipment | Yes |
| Does The System Automatically Test Itself To The Monitoring Center | Rescue Alert does periodic tests of the equipment. |
| 24 Hour Technical & Customer Support | No. Customer Service is open Monday-Friday 8am-5pm MST. |
| Monitoring Station | Rescue Alert Review |
| TMA Five Diamond Certified Monitoring Center | No |
| Typical Response Time When Button Pressed | Approximately 30-60 Seconds |
| Other Options & Information | Rescue Alert Review |
| How Fast Does System Ship | Orders usually ship the same day. It takes approximately 3-4 days for delivery. |
| Do You Need Separate Systems For Mom & Dad | No, you just need to purchase an additional button for $35.00. |
| Optional Advanced Features | Rescue Alert Review |
| Activity or Inactivity Monitoring | No |
| Senior Fall Detection | Yes, except for GPS unit. |
| Cellular or No Phone Line | Yes |
| Smoke or Carbon Monoxide Protection | No |
| GPS Medical Alert Tracking System | Yes |
| Special Offers | Rescue Alert Review |
| Special Offers For Our Visitors | None at this time |
MONTHLY COSTS & FEES
Rescue Alert has their pricing structure set-up differently than most medical alert monitoring companies. They give you the option of buying the equipment instead of renting it. Although they will ship you the latest model if a new one comes out, we do not recommend purchasing medical alert equipment. If you buy the equipment, the monthly fee is significantly less.
Medical alarm equipment technology is changing rapidly, and you do not want to own outdated technology. For example, 3G cellular technology and landline telephone services are becoming obsolete and would not be a good long-term investment.
The monthly payment plans for monitoring service and renting Rescue Alert’s equipment are comparable to other medical alert companies with the exception of their MXD Landline Base Unit. This unit is significantly higher than others on the market. We do like however that they offer advanced payment discounts as an option to save money. Free shipping is also offered with all their systems. A mountable wall button is offered for $5.00 additional per month.
| Rescue Alert System | Cost Per Month | Cost Per Month-Quarterly | Cost per Month-Annually | Purchase Option | Purchase Monthly | One-Time Payment |
| MXD Landline Base Unit * | $32.95 | $29.95 | $27.95 | $199.00 | $15.95 | $849.00 |
| * myActive Alert Fall Detection (Add on) | $10.00 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Rescue Alert GPS | $44.95 | $39.95 | $37.95 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT RESCUE ALERT
Automatic Tests – System’s console will automatically test periodically to the monitoring station. This feature allows you the peace of mind knowing your equipment is communicating properly with the monitoring center. As with any system, be sure to test your button on your own at least monthly.
Flexible Monitoring Agreement – You can cancel at any time, but it must be done in writing.
System Battery Back-Up – The battery back-up in the MXD base unit has a long life, which will help in a power failure. This does not apply to the Rescue Alert GPS necklace. It requires charging approximately every 48 hours. They do offer a bundled option with the GPS & MXD units for an additional $15.00 per month, for added protection while at home and the GPS unit is charging.
Fall Detection Option – Since seniors are at a fall risk and diabetics can have the tendency to faint, fall detectors can be helpful because they may be unable to press their medical emergency button. This is not available with the GPS option.
Mobile GPS Option – For seniors or even young children on the go, this may be an important option for you. You can take your medical alert coverage with you at all times.
Soft Touch Buttons – These buttons are available for those suffering with dexterity issues such as arthritis.
Advanced Payment Discounts – We like the fact that Rescue Alert allows you to save on the monthly costs if you pay in advance.
WHAT WE DISLIKE ABOUT RESCUE ALERT
No TMA Five Diamond Monitoring Center – This is an important certification that requires an annual renewal with The Monitoring Association which shows a commitment to a higher level of service.
No Activity Monitoring – Activity monitoring typically requires the user to check in with the system by pressing a button once every 24 hours. It can also use more advanced features like bed sensors, motion sensors and door contacts to report discrepancies in normal daily routines. This is very beneficial as it allows you to know that your loved one is active and about each day.
No Pill Reminder Option – Having the system remind you of when to take medication is a nice feature, although not required by all. The downside to this option is that it will not tell you what or how much medication to take. You may want to consider a medication dispensing system if this is important to you.
No Fall Detection Option with the GPS Unit – We would like to see this option as it is available through other service providers.
No Carbon Monoxide or Smoke Detection – Both are important features to have in your home and monitored devices can provide more protection.
High Monthly Monitoring Fees – Rescue Alert’s monthly monitoring fees are on the high side compared to other medical alert devices on the market. However, if you choose to buy their equipment, the monthly fee drops significantly, but this may not be the best investment since technology is changing so rapidly.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
What medical alert system does AARP recommend?
Currently, AARP only recommends one company for medical alert monitoring services and that is Philips Lifeline.
Does Costco have a medical alert system?
Currently, Costco offers two medical alert systems by Medical Guardian.
What is the best way to purchase Rescue Alert?
You must call to order any Rescue Alert products or services at 1-800-688-9576.
Does Rescue Alert have a mobile-on-the-go option?
Yes, the Rescue Alert GPS System offers on-the-go medical alert coverage with GPS tracking.
Does Rescue Alert have automatic fall detection?
Yes, myActive Alert is an add-on to any of the systems besides the Rescue Alert GPS system.
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT RESCUE ALERT
Rescue Alert has a 4.2 out of 5 stars on their Facebook business page. The positive reviews we found were vague however they did mention that the speaker quality was good, and the customer service was friendly. We saw a few negative reviews from past employees complaining about the work environment. That is hard for us to verify. We also saw a few reviews on Facebook about the customer service being rude. Also, there was some talk about the response times being slow and the service being expensive.
Rescue Alert is a BBB Accredited business under the name Mytrex, Inc. and they currently have an A+ rating with no complaints on record at the time of this review.
BOTTOM LINE
Rescue Alert has a long history of providing medical alert monitoring services. They have a lot of the medical alert monitoring features we would want a company to provide, such as GPS on-the-go option and automatic fall detection. However, they are lacking in the latest utilizing the latest voice-in-pendant technology for their in-home systems and they do not have additional services that we’d like to see include such as, activity monitoring, wellness monitoring, carbon monoxide and smoke detection.
Rescue Alert allows you to purchase their equipment, with the exception of the Rescue Alert GPS, which gives you a very affordable monthly monitoring rate but may not be the best long-term investment. You can also choose to pay a one-time fee for the landline unit of $849.00 and that will include your monitoring services for your lifetime. If you do not choose to buy the equipment, their monthly fees can be quite high compared to other medical alert device companies on the market.
We like that they own and operate their own monitoring centers with EMT trained operators and can service customers in up to 150 languages. They also have 2 monitoring centers located in Utah which is important if one center was to not be able to receive alarm signals due to a natural disaster or other large-scale service interruption. However, we do prefer companies that monitor their customers in TMA Five Diamond certified central station monitoring centers.
Other features Rescue Alert offers include periodic testing of their equipment to their monitoring center (be sure to test your button regularly) and no-long term contracts. You can cancel anytime, provided you do it in writing. Please keep in mind you will have to pay for return shipping.
When we called Rescue Alert, they were extremely friendly and very helpful. You get the sense of a family-like atmosphere. There was no sales pressure to buy when you call for information. They have many price options available on their website, but this can get a little confusing. A call to their customer service is a breeze if you feel you need additional help. We would love to see them add more product features on their website including an FAQ section and perhaps an online chat feature.
Although our experience with this company had these results, your experience may be different. If you’re interested in this company’s services, contact them to judge for yourself.
