Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has invested $1 million in an Israeli start-up aimed at saving lives by improving communication for rescue services. Reporty Homeland Security is developing a global platform to help emergency services to quickly locate and reach individuals in distress.

Last June, Israeli police stated that 20 percent of the 10 million calls they receive annually are nuisance calls. Magen David Adom, Israel’s paramedic service, said some 23 percent of the 9 million calls they field turn out to be false alarms. The latter have already begun working with Reporty, according to Globes business news.

The Tel Aviv based company was founded in 2014 by its CEO Amir Elichai, a former commander in an elite IDF unit. Elichai teamed up with Pinchas Buchris, former director-general of the Defense Ministry and ex-commander of the IDF’s 8200 intelligence unit. Also on board are VP business development Lital Leshem, VP technologies Alex Dizengof, and systems developer Yoni Yatsun.

The goal of the Reporty system is to make communication between victim and rescue services more efficient, saving both time and money in the process of saving lives. The Reporty app establishes a two-way video and audio connection to the relevant assistance center in the event of an emergency, providing precise location data and allowing call center personnel to evaluate the credibility of the report. Although designed for use in “smart cities”, the system can work in locations lacking that infrastructure, as well.

“The solution we are developing is based on deep technology, both on the end-user side and on the command and control side,” Elichai told Globes, adding, “We are excited by the faith that Ehud Barak has placed in us. His rich experience in security will undoubtedly assist us in formulating our strategy and in launching the product in Israel and around the world.”

Elichai approached Barak at the suggestion of a friend and a former IDF commando. “We didn’t know him personally,” Elichai told Ynet, “but we managed to persuade him to meet with us. We sat with him for 45 minutes; and at the end of the meeting, he said that it had potential and we would move forward.”

Barak himself expressed confidence in the system’s potential. “Reporty provides an answer to a vital need of every citizen, namely a sense of security based on immediate and simple access to emergency services.”