When a wildfire or hurricane strikes, the last thing anyone should have to weigh is whether requesting emergency assistance will expose their personal data. That trade-off is exactly what the Hawaiian Emergency Link Portal (HELP) aims to eliminate, and a new patent filing suggests the team behind it is doubling down on that promise.
Maui Project Management Company, Inc. Files Second U.S. Provisional Patent Application for Hawaiian Emergency Link Portal (HELP), Covering Privacy Protections
People in a disaster should never have to choose between getting help and protecting their privacy. With this filing, HELP families can reach help without giving up control of their personal details.”— Michelle Valentin, CEOHAIKU-PAUWELA, HI, UNITED STATES, October 26, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Maui Project Management Company, Inc. announced that a second U.S. provisional patent application for the Hawaiian Emergency Link Portal (HELP) was submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on October 14, 2026 (Hawaiʻi time).
The paperwork was filed through the USPTO’s Patent Center as Application No. 64/176,357 (Confirmation No. 6022). This latest application centers on how HELP safeguards its users. Personal information remains encrypted on the user’s own phone. The system recognizes devices only through coded identifiers, not names. The server retains just a brief, current-status record, and emergency data is forwarded without being stored.
This new filing builds on HELP’s first provisional application, No. 64/169,380, filed October 4, 2026, and preserves all features described in that earlier document. HELP is a free disaster-preparedness app used by some Maui residents. It guides nearby users to dial 911. If someone is unresponsive during a disaster, it can email the responsible agency a “HELP Hazard Alert,” which is not a 911 call.
“People in a disaster should never have to choose between getting help and protecting their privacy. With this filing, HELP keeps each person’s information on their own phone, so families can reach help without giving up control of their personal details.” — Michelle Valentin, co-founder, Maui Project Management Company, Inc.
The provisional application establishes a dated priority record while development, partner outreach and grant-supported build-out continue. A nonprovisional U.S. application, and any foreign or Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filings that claim the benefit of this provisional, must be filed by October 14, 2027, or the provisional filing date is lost.
This announcement creates a public paper trail for partners, funders and future grant applications. It does not mean a patent has been granted. A provisional application is a temporary filing that preserves a priority date; examination and any patent grant, if pursued, occur only after a later nonprovisional application is filed and examined by the USPTO. HELP is patent pending.
Osita Iroku
Maui Project Management Company Inc
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Why it matters: This filing signals a growing emphasis on privacy-by-design in emergency technology, a shift that could reshape how disaster-response tools handle sensitive user data. If the patent proceeds, it may set a precedent for other apps to follow, ensuring that vulnerable populations aren’t forced to sacrifice security for safety.
