Medical Emergency features on iPhone and Apple Watch

[AbductedByAsthma]

For those who don’t know, here are some emergency features on iPhone and Apple Watch, including:

.

Emergency SOS: a way of calling emergency services if you are unable to speak

Medical ID: a ‘secret’ place that medical emergency workers look to get medical information about you.

Fall Detection: - fall down and don’t move, and Apple Watch will call emergency services and your family.

———————————————-

IPHONE

.

Emergency SOS

Press and hold the power button and a volume button simultaneously. If you keep holding, it will countdown five seconds, call emergency services with your location, no talking required. It will also text your loved ones with your location.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=RBz5l...(Not working as expected?)

Medical ID

Medical ID provides emergency services staff with information related to your medical conditions, the medication you are taking, blood type, and emergency contacts. Emergency workers check iPhones for this information by pressing the power button and a volume button simultaneously.

To enter your health information, with the Apple Health app running, press ‘Medical ID’ at the bottom of the screen. Enter all the required information.

Apple’s Medical ID setup instructions

support.apple.com/en-us/HT2...

m.youtube.com/watch?v=vEpDV...(Not working as expected?)

.

———————————————-

APPLE WATCH

.

Emergency SOS

Press and hold the watch button. The watch will begin a short countdown, after which it will call emergency services with your location, no talking required. It will also text your loved ones with your location.

support.apple.com/en-us/HT2...

Fall Detection

If you fall and remain still for a set time, the Apple Watch will go through the same procedure as Emergency SOS, but will do it automatically and without your help.

youtube.com/watch?v=31DnUiL...(Not working as expected?)

.

.

Here’s Apple’s document listing all the health features of Apple Watch, which I believe, all work in the UK. (I’m a Brit living abroad).

apple.com/healthcare/apple-...

[Bsr92]

I’ve recently used to medical ID on my phone during attacks save myself answering questions about medication, normal peak flow ect it’s been really useful x

[Swimmingaddict]

I found the medical ID invaluable as my husband cannot recall all my health issues and it saved me having to try and speak.

Also the fall ID really works. A couple of months ago my husband fell and was stunned so didn’t stop the alarm and I didn’t hear it. Luckily passing helpful lady, fire fighters and police stopped. When the police were taking us to A&E we had a call from the emergency services as the watch had called 999. The text message I was sent was 100% accurate.

Well worth it, and I believe the next watch may not even need the person to have an iPhone.

[AbductedByAsthma in reply to Swimmingaddict]

Hey Swimmingaddict, Thanks for sharing your amazing experience.

Actually, I believe the current watch, Apple Watch 4 and the previous version 3, already have the ability to operate without needing an iPhone, IF you bought the cellular version.

Quote from Apple Support: “If your iPhone and Apple Watch Series 4 (GPS + Cellular) or Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) are both connected to a cellular network, your watch can do everything that it normally does, even if your iPhone isn't with you.”

support.apple.com/en-us/HT2...

But nevertheless, for anyone else reading this, a new iPhone is around the corner. Apple normally have a big announce every September, with new devices released a couple of weeks later... presumably with new features.

[Swimmingaddict in reply to AbductedByAsthma]

Hi,

Yes I know the cellular ones as we had/have them.

At the moment you need an iPhone to have an Apple Watch, for the set up and the App Store. I understand either the new watch or software will enable non iPhone owners to have an Apple Watch.