Your phone can help you call for assistance, alert trusted contacts or share your location. These features are only useful if they have been set up and you know how to activate them.
DO THIS NOW
Find your phone’s emergency settings
Search your settings for terms such as “Emergency”, “Safety” or “SOS”. The available functions and activation methods differ between phone brands, models and software versions.
Your phone may allow you to:
- call emergency services quickly;
- alert selected emergency contacts;
- share your location;
- display important medical information; or
- record emergency video.
Add trusted emergency contacts
Choose people who are likely to answer and who know what you would want them to do.
Tell them that you have added them. An unexplained location notification or automated message may otherwise be overlooked or mistaken for spam.
Test the process safely
Learn which buttons activate the emergency function and whether a countdown or alarm sounds. Where possible, use the phone’s demonstration or test function rather than placing a real emergency call.
Keep the limitations in mind
Your phone may be out of reach, damaged, taken from you, out of battery or without a signal. Location information may also be delayed or inaccurate.
Prepare the features, but do not treat your phone as a guarantee of help.
A FIVE-MINUTE PHONE CHECK
- Is Emergency SOS activated?
- Are your emergency contacts current?
- Can you activate SOS without unlocking your phone?
- Do your trusted contacts know what to do?
- Is important medical information available from the lock screen?
- Have you checked the settings again after your latest software update?
