Our story:
This August is the 25th anniversary of my company, resqme, Inc., that I dedicated my time to in 1997. In order to celebrate this great occasion, I will be sharing some stories about how the resqme® was created, and some unusual ways people have used the tool.
The idea:
The idea of the resqme® began after introducing and selling the LifeHammer®. Straightaway, I noticed people having trouble finding an accessible location to store a tool of that size in their vehicle. Eventually, it would end up in the glove box, where most passengers cannot reach, especially during a stressful emergency. Thus, I began imagining a smaller tool that could easily attach to a keychain while maintaining the valuable seatbelt cutting and window breaking functions.
Unfortunately, in 2001, 3 employees of Tokyo Electronic lost their lives in a tragic Houston flood. The company reached out to me looking to gift their 15,000 employees the LifeHammer®. With this gesture, they hoped to honor the innocent lives lost, and avoid any future losses. However, after reviewing the product, they began inquiring about a smaller tool, which did not exist yet.
Coming to life:
Hence, I shared my idea for creating a keychain-accessible tool with the same functions, and they loved it. They quickly shared my idea with Task Force Tips, a reputable fire-safety manufacturer. With the amazing help of mechanical engineer and ex-volunteer fire fighter, Bob Steingass, the resqme® car escape tool was designed and created. Task Force Tips manufactured 15,000 units for Tokyo Electronic as a gift for each of their employees during the holidays.
Within a couple hours of receiving their gift, Tokyo Electronic employees all received an email. It read “You have just received a safety window breaker and seat belt cutter, PLEASE DO NOT TEST THE DEVICE ON YOUR DESKTOP SCREEN”! Excitedly, employees started testing out their new tools on their monitors, and sure enough, the glass was shattering!
Although this story does not highlight the typical uses of the resqme® tool, I am grateful that it prompted the development of the resqme®, and was gifted to a wonderful group of people for a great cause.
As I continue to share our story, I invite you to message me or comment below about how the resqme® has saved a life or been used in a unique manner! Thank you for all your support and attention, and remember to always stay safe!
Laurent Colasse, Founder and President of resqme, Inc.
