Access and verification
Get Paged is used to call out volunteer crew to real emergencies, so access is controlled at every level. This page sets out how an organisation is verified, how crew are approved, and who can send pages.
In summary: organisations are checked by hand before activation. Crew can only join an organisation that has been verified, and an admin approves each one. Only members the organisation authorises can send pages, and every page is logged.
1. Organisation onboarding
Organisations cannot create an account themselves. Get Paged sets up each organisation by hand, after the following checks.
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A responsible officer applies
A responsible officer of the search and rescue organisation applies for access. This is someone with authority over the organisation's operations, such as a trustee, operations manager or coxswain.
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The organisation provides evidence of its status
The organisation must show that it is a recognised rescue facility. For example, this could be a letter or agreement from HM Coastguard (Maritime and Coastguard Agency) confirming its Declared Facility status, or equivalent written confirmation from the relevant tasking authority.
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Get Paged checks the evidence and the applicant
We check the evidence, and check that the applicant holds the role they state, before the organisation is activated. If we cannot confirm both, the organisation is not activated.
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The organisation nominates its admins
The verified organisation nominates one or more organisation admins. Admins manage crew membership, roles and permissions for their own organisation only.
2. Crew access
There is no open sign-up. A person can only join an organisation that has been verified, and only with that organisation's agreement.
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The organisation gives the crew member a joining code
An organisation admin gives the crew member their organisation's private joining code. Without that code, nobody can ask to join an organisation.
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An admin approves the crew member
The crew member's request stays pending until an organisation admin approves it. Until it is approved, they receive no pages and cannot see the organisation's information.
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Admins remove access when someone leaves
When someone leaves the team, an admin removes their access. From then on they receive no pages and cannot see the organisation's information.
3. Who can send pages
- Only members the organisation authorises can send a callout, such as duty officers and launch authorities.
- Permission to send pages is granted separately from crew role or qualifications. An admin gives it to named people.
- Ordinary crew accounts cannot send callouts.
- A page goes only to members of the sender's own organisation, either all available crew or specific roles.
- Crew can send a test page to their own phone to check their settings. An admin can send a test page to the whole team.
4. Records of each page
Every page is logged with:
- who sent it
- the time it was sent
- who it was sent to
- each recipient's response, and when they responded
Organisation admins and trustees can review these records for their own organisation.
5. What is not possible
- Members of the public cannot create an account or use the app.
- Nobody can join an organisation without its joining code and an admin's approval.
- Members of one organisation cannot see another organisation's crew, availability or records.
- Ordinary crew cannot send callouts.
Organisations that want to apply should see Applying for access.