BROOKFIELD, Wis., RF Technologies (RFT®) announced that its Help Alert® Staff Protection Pendant and Safe Place® Smart Sense® Infant Protection Transmitter were selected among 100 products nominated in the statewide Wisconsin’s Coolest Thing competition hosted by Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce (WMC), which celebrates innovation and manufacturing excellence across Wisconsin.
The nominated products showcase Wisconsin manufacturing at its best. Their innovative, potentially life-saving technology addresses real-world safety challenges by ensuring help is available to healthcare workers, educators, lone workers, and families when it matters most. These products have helped create safer workplaces and provide peace of mind for more than three decades.
Protecting Newborns When Safety Matters Most
Developed in Brookfield and first introduced in 1995, Safe Place® was the first RFID infant protection system of its kind. Created with input from nurses to address the unique security needs of labor and delivery units, the system has helped protect more than 15 million infants in hospitals across the United States.
The Safe Place Smart Sense® transmitter is placed on a newborn’s ankle and uses patented technology to detect band-off, cut-band, and other potential security events. If an incident occurs, the system immediately alerts staff and can secure monitored exits, helping hospitals create a safer environment for newborns and their families.
More than three decades after its introduction, Safe Place continues to help maternity teams provide peace of mind during one of life’s most important moments.
Helping Staff Get Assistance Before Violence Escalates
RF Technologies’ second nomination comes at a time when workplace violence remains a growing concern for healthcare organizations and educational institutions nationwide.
The Help Alert® Staff Protection Pendant provides healthcare workers, educators, and other employees with a discreet way to request assistance during threatening situations, workplace violence incidents, or other emergencies. With the push of a button, users can silently summon help while responders receive location information that helps them quickly identify where assistance is needed.
“Every day, our technology helps protect people when they need it most,” said Ernie Chan, CEO of RF Technologies. “Whether it’s helping safeguard a newborn in the hospital or giving a healthcare worker a way to call for help during a threatening situation, both were created right here in Wisconsin to solve real-world problems. Seeing them recognized as nominees for the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin is a testament to our team’s commitment to innovation and to our mission of empowering a safer world.”
Public voting for the first round of the Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin contest begins September 21, 2026. The competition starts with 100 nominated products, with public voting determining which products advance to the Top 16 before entering bracket-style competition.
To learn more and vote beginning September 21, visit Coolest Thing Made in Wisconsin.
For questions or inquiries, please contact the RFT Marketing Department at marcomm@rft.com.
About RF Technologies
RFT is a turn-key manufacturer and provider of life safety solutions for the healthcare, senior living, education, hospitality, corporate, and government markets. With 11,000+ installations since their founding in 1987, RFT is a collaborative partner in designing custom-configured solutions that meet each customer’s needs and reduce their liabilities. The RFT family of solutions includes Help Alert® Staff Protection, Code Alert® Wander Management, Quick Response® Nurse Emergency Call and Fall Detection, Safe Place® Patient Protection, Sensatec® Fall Management and ExacTrack® Asset Management products.
