Apple Watch's Emergency SOS credited with saving epileptic Australian woman

Posted:
in Apple Watch
An Australian woman with epilepsy is reportedly alive because of the fall detection and Emergency SOS features on the Apple Watch Series 4.




Sydney resident Kate Donald was home alone when the seizure happened two months ago, according to News.com.au. A fall triggered Emergency SOS, which fired off text messages to her husband Ben. Ben in turn called a neighbor, who turned out to be away from home but was able to reach two other people who were both close by and knew the PIN code to get into the house -- a necessity because of Donald's condition.

Those people called an ambulance, only to learn than one was already on its way. While Kate was being taken to the hospital, Ben was able to get GPS updates on his wife's location. He had been trying to call Kate without luck.

The woman ultimately spent four days in the hospital because of the fall.

Emergency SOS is available for every current Watch, but only the Series 4 offers fall detection. When activated, the feature offers the option to use SOS if a person is still moving, but will launch it automatically if a person has stayed still for a full minute. At that point it will call local emergency services and notify listed contacts.

Fall detection is normally off, but can be switched on in the iOS Watch app and is enabled by default for people who have their age listed as 65 or older.

Lifesaving Watch stories have become regular items in the media, thanks to factors like the ease of covering them and Apple's own push to market the device's health functions.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 9
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,020member
    I honestly believe it is stories like this, why we see a continued increase in Apple Watch sales. I'm glad to hear that Kate is doing alright, all things considered.
    macseekerdoctwelveAppleExposedBart Ywatto_cobrajony0
  • Reply 2 of 9
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    I want to get one if these so badly -- I'm old and I live alone and I go for runs in the woods alone -- but my darned Series 1 won't stop ticking.   It still works great and my frugality won't let me discard it for something better...
    AppleExposedentropysmacpluspluswatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 9
    JinTechJinTech Posts: 1,020member
    I want to get one if these so badly -- I'm old and I live alone and I go for runs in the woods alone -- but my darned Series 1 won't stop ticking.   It still works great and my frugality won't let me discard it for something better...
    If it's in good condition sell it on eBay and use that money to invest in a new one. You will be happy you did. New watches will likely be coming out in the next couple of months so you could probably get a Series 4 for relatively cheap soon. 
    Bart YGeorgeBMacwatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 9
    neilmneilm Posts: 985member
    JinTech said:
    I want to get one if these so badly -- I'm old and I live alone and I go for runs in the woods alone -- but my darned Series 1 won't stop ticking.   It still works great and my frugality won't let me discard it for something better...
    If it's in good condition sell it on eBay and use that money to invest in a new one. You will be happy you did. New watches will likely be coming out in the next couple of months so you could probably get a Series 4 for relatively cheap soon. 
    Cue discussion about what improvements a Series 5 Apple Watch will have!
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 9
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,152member
    I bought my father a series 4 for this reason. He is alone now, and prone to falling.  A couple of months ago I watched him fall down the stairs at the theatre. He was OK, but the watch triggered.  
    The only issue is he is fairly active and the watch false triggers a bit. When cutting the hedge, chopping wood etc.

    i also have learned a lot about his heart rate (very low). However, with series 5 around the corner, Australia still doesn’t have the ECG feature of the series 4. Wake up Apple Australia! Have you even applied?
    edited July 2019 watto_cobra
  • Reply 6 of 9
    Bart YBart Y Posts: 64unconfirmed, member
    I want to get one if these so badly -- I'm old and I live alone and I go for runs in the woods alone -- but my darned Series 1 won't stop ticking.   It still works great and my frugality won't let me discard it for something better...
    George, Gift or give the Series 1 to someone who would appreciate it.  Don't let the dollars that represent such improved and potentially life saving technology keep you separated from having and using it.  If you're gone, who's going to enjoy the money that you saved up?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 9
    chasmchasm Posts: 3,273member
    These comments that treat the series 5 this fall as a given are probably in for a big disappointment.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 9
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    JinTech said:
    I want to get one if these so badly -- I'm old and I live alone and I go for runs in the woods alone -- but my darned Series 1 won't stop ticking.   It still works great and my frugality won't let me discard it for something better...
    If it's in good condition sell it on eBay and use that money to invest in a new one. You will be happy you did. New watches will likely be coming out in the next couple of months so you could probably get a Series 4 for relatively cheap soon. 
    Yeh, that plan has been in the back of my head for awhile.
    I worked for an IT company (that ran cloud computing back before there was a cloud) and had a policy of using 2nd gen equipment because, not only had the bugs been worked out but it was significantly cheaper (but still did the job).

    I see no reason to deviate from that plan -- particularly now as the technical advancements in the watch are starting to smooth out as the product line matures.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 9
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    chasm said:
    These comments that treat the series 5 this fall as a given are probably in for a big disappointment.
    Why so?
    Not only has the Apple Watch been seeing the most, exponential technological and sales growth of any Apple product, but Sept 2019 phones sound to be a major yawn*.  For the phone, it seems most of the rumors went right over it to the 2020 phone.  So, they'll need something to keep the attack dogs at bay.

    * For the phone, I am predicting that they will announce a 5G version to be released in (early) 2020 -- and the 2019 release will be mostly evolutionary, technical improvements.


    watto_cobra
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