AURA expands emergency response platform to U.S.

AMSTERDAM — AURA, a technology platform specializing in on-demand security and medical response services, has launched in the United States, an expansion that Timothy Garrett says is driven by public need.  

Garrett, president of the company's U.S. division, says cities like Dallas, Seattle, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and Atlanta have police departments whose resources are stretched thin, placing them among AURA's targeted expansion areas. 

He talks with Security Systems News about AURA’s expansion, its goals and building safer communities.  

SSN: What are your plans for expansion in the U.S. and how does AURA fit into the existing public safety ecosystem? 

Garrett: AURA is currently focused on scaling operations and shaping its go-to-market strategy (in the U.S.). The expansion is driven by a clear need: Public emergency services in many U.S. cities are overwhelmed and unable to respond promptly to all calls, particularly lower-priority ones such as property alarms, many of which turn out to be false. 

AURA aims to fill this gap by handling non-critical incidents through its licensed private responder network, only escalating to law enforcement when a verified threat is identified. This approach helps reduce the burden on police departments and allows them to allocate their resources more effectively. 

SSN: You describe your goal as, “Making emergency response borderless.” What does that entail? 

Garrett: “Making emergency response borderless" refers to AURA’s mission of ensuring that anyone, anywhere, can access fast, reliable emergency support. AURA is working to break down the limitations of traditional emergency services by using technology to connect users with the nearest available licensed private responder. This model moves beyond the constraints of existing infrastructure and geography by leveraging more flexible, scalable networks. 

AURA works by connecting our clients, such as alarm monitoring centers, insurers, property managers, smart device companies and their end users, to a network of licensed private security providers. Client requests are processed through our algorithm, which identifies the closest available guard and dispatches them to the location. 

SSN: What does your entry into the U.S. market mean for residential security, specifically? 

Garrett: Residents are no longer reliant solely on overburdened public services or expensive dedicated security. Instead, they gain affordable, on-demand access to verified responders who can assess and escalate incidents as needed. This is especially impactful in a climate where more people than ever have home security systems or smart cameras but can’t always count on timely police intervention. 

By enhancing the responsiveness and reliability of emergency services through private-public collaboration, AURA helps communities feel safer and better supported, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and inclusive security landscape.