Show HN: A shared emergency number for families

Hi HN,

My wife and I are physicians (YC S17), with young kids and also helping take care of our parents. Very much in the sandwich generation.

When I am in the OR or busy and an unknown number comes in, I have no idea. Is this my kid’s school, my dad’s doctor, something urgent, or just spam?

I end up being afraid to fully turn on Do Not Disturb because of that.

So we built StatPhone - https://statphone.com.

It gives you dedicated phone numbers you can share with people you trust. When someone calls one, it rings multiple people at once, and if no one answers, it can automatically escalate to others.

No matter what number they are calling from, it shows up as something like “Dad Emergency” or “Kids School” on your phone.

For example, we can give one to our kid’s school. It rings both of us at the same time so someone picks up.

Or we can give one to my dad’s doctor. It rings me and my sister first, and if we do not pick up, it rolls to my wife and brother in law.

It is also useful as a general family emergency line. For kids going to college, for pet sitters, or for things like a doorman calling one number and it ringing everyone in the apartment at once.

If no one answers, it uses its own voicemail, not your phone’s, transcribes it, and sends it to everyone.

We can still see who actually called via a dashboard or text.

We have been using it for school, babysitters, doctors, etc.

Figured we would share in case it is useful to anyone else.

Thanks, Amit & Puja