Stamford man's loss inspires next of kin emergency contact service

A fatal motorbike accident hundreds of miles from home left a Stamford family with an anxious wait to learn the fate of their loved one - but now a new service aims to prevent the distress caused by delays in contacting a next of kin.

Tony Byles, from Stamford is the founder of Contact NoK - an emergency contact system that allows vital information to be accessed swiftly via personalised QR codes.

Contact NoK was launched after the devastating loss of Tony’s brother, Ed, in July 2023. With his sister-in-law back in England, it took the German authorities days to reach her, compounding the family's grief.

Tony said: “Losing my brother made me realise how vital it is for emergency services to have access to contacts and information when disaster strikes. I don’t want other families to go through the unbearable distress we endured. That’s why I created Contact NoK, a service that ensures help is just a scan away.”

In addition to aiding first responders, Contact NoK products can also be used for other purposes, including reuniting lost children with their parents and preventing a pet from going missing.

Tony said: “Imagine encountering an elderly person out late at night, confused and disoriented in their pyjamas. Our products provide a simple and fast solution that helps to guide them back home safely.

“We all need to look out for each other and I hope Contact NoK will help to create safer, more caring communities across the country, as well as honour my brother's memory.”

Contact NoK products include keychains, wristbands, luggage tags and pet charms, and the system enables emergency services or first responders to obtain crucial details about the person or pet by scanning the QR code on the tag.

Users first register an account with their medical details, emergency contacts, and other vital information. A QR code is then generated which links to the user's account. In an emergency, responders can simply scan the code, which pings the user's location and contacts their designated emergency contact.

For more information visit www.contactnok.com