Emergency SOS on iPhone saved snowboarder from crevasse

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPhone
A snowboarder has credited the iPhone for helping save his life, with its Emergency SOS function putting him in touch with emergency services after falling into a crevasse.

[via Instagram/mrtimblakey]
[via Instagram/mrtimblakey]


Keen snowboarder and personal trainer Tim Blakey was snowboarding on a glacier near Zermatt, Switzerland in March, but ran into trouble on one downhill run. On the fateful solo descent, at approximately 10,000 feet, he fell into a hidden crevasse in the snow.

His fall was stopped five meters (16 feet) down by a fragile snow bridge, limiting his movements and actions in trying to escape the predicament. On checking his iPhone to call for help, he saw its battery level was just 3%, giving him limited options for getting help, reports 7 News.

Facing minimal power, he remembered that he could call emergency services on the iPhone using the Emergency SOS feature, which can also send text messages of the iPhone's location to emergency contacts, as well as to emergency services.

Rescuers soon arrived and pulled Blakey from the gap, before taking him to the hospital for an injured ankle. That evening, he made it to his flight back to London on time.

In recounting the event on Instagram, the snowboarder thanks the rescue team, offering he was "still clueless" as to how to repay them. "Perhaps the first step is bringing awareness to the amazing job these guys do on the mountain and awareness to others to not be as careless as I was," he offers.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Tim Blakey (@mrtimblakey)

Blakey then goes on to thank Apple for "their side button 5 click to emergency services," which is "especially great when your screen is constantly being dripped on." He also thanks his carrier "for giving me 3G connection and 3% battery 5m below the ice."

Emergency SOS is triggered on an iPhone by either pressing and holding the side button until the Emergency SOS slider appears then sliding it across, or holding down the side button and a volume control until the countdown timer elapses.

It is also available on the iPhone, which can be triggered the same way. The ease of setting off Emergency SOS can lead to unwanted calls, and in the case of one family in February, can allow mischievous children to place the calls.

Read on AppleInsider
fruitstandninja

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    XedXed Posts: 2,561member
    That would've been tragic had he been in the US and on AT&T.
    edited April 2022 watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 8
    MichaelKohlMichaelKohl Posts: 25member
    Xed said:
    That would've been tragic had he been in the US and on AT&T.
    A life was saved. Please save your “funny” “sarcastic” reply for another day. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 8
    XedXed Posts: 2,561member
    Xed said:
    That would've been tragic had he been in the US and on AT&T.
    A life was saved. Please save your “funny” “sarcastic” reply for another day. 
    I tend to reserve my solemn, sad replies for when lives are lost, not when something positive happens.  If I dd as you suggest there would be no time for any joy in the world, just your serious and boring rhetoric.
    JanNLStrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 8
    looplessloopless Posts: 329member
      Many European resorts have runs that include glacier skiing. Go off piste without a guide … and this happens.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 8
    kidrock2199kidrock2199 Posts: 143member
    Xed said:
    That would've been tragic had he been in the US and on AT&T.
    Actually, it depends on where you are. I've had them all since 1996. Down here in south Florida, you can't beat AT&T's/Cricket's service. Back when the iPhone was still new, I couldn't understand why so many people were complaining about then-Cingular's service and requesting it to be available on Verizon's network. Verizon was crap! Everyone I knew with iPhones were very happy with their service. More recently, my wife for a time had a Verizon iPhone that her work gave her and she hated the service. So apparently, they're STILL crap. That HD Voice from AT&T is really amazing! The person on the other end sounds like they're right next to you and I never lose a signal.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 8
    macguimacgui Posts: 2,360member
    AI said:
    Emergency SOS is triggered on an iPhone by either pressing and holding the side button until the Emergency SOS slider appears then sliding it across, or holding down the side button and a volume control until the countdown timer elapses. 

    It is also available on the iPhone, which can be triggered the same way.

    Is one of those supposed to be 'iPad' or the Watch?

    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 8
    fruitstandninjafruitstandninja Posts: 104member
    Incredible this tech saved his life. I like that he has fused tech to his outdoor life to enhance it. I hope I never need to use it and I love that it’s there if I it’s my only hope to survive. 
    StrangeDayswatto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 8
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    kidrock2199 said:
    Xed said:
    That would've been tragic had he been in the US and on AT&T.
    Actually, it depends on where you are. I've had them all since 1996. Down here in south Florida, you can't beat AT&T's/Cricket's service. Back when the iPhone was still new, I couldn't understand why so many people were complaining about then-Cingular's service and requesting it to be available on Verizon's network. Verizon was crap! Everyone I knew with iPhones were very happy with their service. More recently, my wife for a time had a Verizon iPhone that her work gave her and she hated the service. So apparently, they're STILL crap. That HD Voice from AT&T is really amazing! The person on the other end sounds like they're right next to you and I never lose a signal.
    I can't imagine many people have been lost snowboarding in South Florida.
    XedStrangeDays
Sign In or Register to comment.