An Apple Watch user in the UK recently had their life potentially saved after they used their Apple wearable to call for help after getting stranded in a flooded river.
The cyclist, from Rotherwas, Hereford, was swept off their bike during a flood, and swept downstream for a mile. Eventually, they were able to grab onto a tree branch, and use their Apple Watch to dial 999, the UK equivalent of 911.
Station commander Sean Bailey, who was a part of the rescue effort, said the cyclist was fortunate that he was able to grab hold of the branch. “We’re very surprised he didn’t lose his grip,” he told the BBC News.
“He was speaking to our fire control whilst he was clinging onto a tree, via his Apple Watch, which worked wonderfully well for us to actually get to him as quickly as possible,” Bailey continued.
Apple Watch to the rescue
This isn’t the first time a similar rescue has taken place, involving an Apple Watch. Recently, a woman in the U.S. who had been kidnapped called for help using her Apple Watch while stuck in the bed of a truck.
The police were able to track her location using an “emergency cellular ping.”
Calling for help
The Apple Watch Emergency SOS feature lets users call their local emergency services and shares the users’ location as well. To use Emergency SOS:
- Press and hold the side button on your Apple Watch until the Emergency SOS slider appears.
- Continue holding down the side button until the countdown begins. You can alternatively drag the Emergency SOS slider.
- After the countdown concludes, your Apple Watch will automatically dial emergency services.
Have you got any stories of your Apple Watch or other Apple device coming to your aid in a dangerous situation? Let us know in the comments below.
Source: BBC
