There is no way to anticipate an emergency, but you can prepare for it. The good news is one of the best tools because it’s already in your pocket: your Android phone.
Your Android phone is nothing less than an emergency digital Swiss Army Knife. It can automatically call medical services in the event of an unfortunate car accident, alert your friends and family when you’re in trouble, sound an alarm for help, and save lives.
In order to start emergency responses in Android, you will first have to subscribe to them. Here’s how to prepare your Android phone for an emergency.
Add your medical information to the lock screen
In a crisis situation, first responders need the patient’s medical information, such as blood type and allergies, to know what procedures and medications they can use. Android allows you to put this information on the lock screen so that anyone can access it without unlocking the phone.
Go to Settings > About phone > Emergency information. Fill in the fields with the information you want to share. You can add medical data such as your medications, prerequisites, and organ donor through the “Add Information” option. Under Emergency Contacts, you can also add the contact details of the people you want to notify in the event of an emergency.
These steps may vary depending on your phone manufacturer. on Google PixelFor example, you’ll have to open the Security app and head into Settings to enter your medical information and emergency contacts.
Once done, your information should be available under the Emergency Call section on the lock screen.
Activate SOS on Android
With just a few clicks of the power key, your Android phone can perform a series of emergency actions for you. It can share your location with your local emergency number, send a quick video or photo to your friends and family, and even set off an alarm.
You can subscribe to Emergency SOS on your Android phone from Settings > Security & Emergency > Emergency SOS. On your Samsung Galaxy phone, you will have to go to Settings > Advanced Features > Send SOS Messages.
If you own a Google Pixel, the Security & Emergency menu will take you to the Security app, where you can also set up a way to start sharing your live location with select contacts and record a video once the emergency shortcut starts. These options are located under Settings > Safety and Emergency > Emergency SOS > Emergency Actions.
Similarly, your Samsung phone can send photos and record audio to your emergency contacts. Turn on the “Attach Pictures” and “Attach Audio Recording” switches under Send SOS Messages.
On most Android phones, you have to press the power button five times in quick succession to activate Emergency SOS. On a Samsung phone, you have to do this procedure three times instead. Alternatively, you can press and hold the power button and select “Emergency”.
Receive Crisis Alerts on Android
Your Android phone can notify you of natural disasters and public emergencies as well. On the Pixel smartphone, Google also offers the ability to receive crisis information such as forecast floods and bushfire impact areas from official local sources.
Enable Emergency Broadcast Notifications on Android from Settings > Notifications > Wireless Emergency Alerts. Google Pixel owners need to head to the Security app followed by Settings > Crisis alerts.
Share your live location on Android
If you’re headed out for the night or simply want someone to watch your back, you can constantly share your live location with friends and family. Although many apps offer this functionality, your best bet on Android is Google Maps.
Open the Google Maps app and tap your profile picture in the upper right corner. Select Share Location, and on the next page click on the Share Location button. You can either share your live location indefinitely or for a limited time. Choose your trusted contact(s), who will know where you are at all times, from your contact list and hit send. In addition to your location, Google Maps also updates your contact(s) with your phone’s battery level.
Configure your Android phone to detect car accidents
Google’s Pixel smartphones have a few exclusive security tools. One allows your phone’s built-in motion sensors to detect if you’ve been in a car accident and call for help.
In the Security app, go to Settings and tap Traffic Detection under Detection and Alerts. Turn on the “Traffic Accident Detection” option.
Available on Pixel 3 and later phones, this feature is available in select regions including the US, UK, Singapore, Spain, Japan, and more.
Get Offline Medical Advice on Android
There are times when you are out of network coverage or medical help takes a long time to arrive. This is when you will need American Red Cross collection of Android apps Allows you to access a treasure trove of first aid tips and instructions without an internet connection.
With the American Red Cross First Aid app, you can take decisive action on any injuries to you or your pet in the event of an accident. The preloaded content also includes step-by-step videos and animations of what you can do, for example, if someone is having an asthma attack or has a burn. It’s also integrated with 9-1-1, so you can call emergency services directly from the app if you have a network connection.