a method for providing assistance to each of a plurality of users , each having been enrolled as a member of a community includes receiving , at a server , communications from corresponding mobile devices , each of which is associated with a user who has enrolled as a member in a first community . these emergency communications were initiated by activation of respective personal security buttons on the mobile devices , and provide information about respective security conditions . in response to the communications , the server alerts corresponding first and second security services that are appropriate responding to the respective security conditions .