Emergency Access: 6 iPhone Apps Which Could Save Lives

Sure, we all like to think we know how to cope in a crisis. We all fondly imagine ourselves the heroes of the moment, the masters of the hour, but how many of us have actually put some time in before crisis cripples us and learned the right things to do when someone needs our help, or even set things up so we can get the help we need? Read on for six iPhone apps we think could maybe save someone’s life.

None of these apps are a substitute for proper training, if you really want to be prepared then do take a course, but for a refresher or to boost your skills just a little bit, then tale a look at these.

1. First Aid (Refresher)

There’s minutes to save a life. When you find yourself at the scene of a medical emergency you need to use those minutes well.

This free iPhone guide has been put together with the Johanniter Ambulance (the German sister organization oft the St John ambulance). It will help you deliver the right first aid quickly and competently based on a simplified decision-making and action-taking process. What you can do is explained in full with decent illustration, such as:

• Recovery position
• Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (listen to the correct frequency)
• Using the defibrillator
• Making the emergency call
• Life-saving grip
• Measures in the case of injury
• Checking breathing

Get it here.

2. Close Call and smart-ICE

Accidents don’t just happen to other people. Sometimes they can happen to you.

Take a look at Close Call and smart-ICE, two apps which deliver similar results.

We really like the elegance of Close Call (free). Simple and effective, the solution takes your iPhone wallpaper and layers it with emergency contact information in case something bad happens to you.

smart-ICE ($1.99) is an app which implements the international ICE “In Case of Emergency” system, recognized by emergency service personnel everywhere. So what is this?

The app gives phone numbers of your emergency contacts and also provides your medical info, including any allergies, blood type and more.

3. CPR & Choking

Built by the University of Washington and King County emergency services, this free app delivers a wide selection of short (under a minute) video demonstrations that help you know what to do if someone you know is undergoing a medical emergency or cardiac episode.

The videos were produced with the assistance of the University of Washington, the Life Sciences Discovery Fund, the Medic One Foundation, King County Emergency Medical Services, the Seattle Fire Department, and the Laerdal Foundation for Acute Medicine.

They, like the developers, are convinced that teaching these life saving techniques to as many people as possible will save lives.

Get it here.

4. Pocket First Aid & CPR app

This is the app everyone knows about, as it was used by Haiti earthquake survivor, Dan Woolley, to help save his life after being trapped in the rubble. Produced by the American Heart Association the $3.99 first aid app

Pocket First Aid & CPR includes hundreds of pages with illustrations, including topics such as CPR, choking, bites, bruises, burns, seizures, diabetic emergencies, and more. You get videos showing what responses you should take to different situations.

Another feature lets you input relevant medical data for you and your loved ones and email medical profiles to a friend. Like Close Call, this app will also let you pop your potentially life-saving medical info on your iPhone’s Home screen. Child and infant-related life-saving info is also included.

You can get hold of this app here. Or get the less fully-featured – but free – version of the app here.

5. Silent Bodyguard

Silent Bodyguard is a silent alarm that alerts your emergency contacts of your location — without alerting an onlooker or an attacker.

The SOS distress signal is sent along with GPS coordinate to help potential rescuers find you if you’re lost, hurt or kidnapped.

Do make sure you complete the set-up process before relying on this app.

Set-up requires you to have your personal information (name, email, phone number, with 1 before area code) and at least one SMS and one email emergency contact filled in for the app to work.

The text message is sent via the internet.

The free app is available here.

6. Emergency Radio

So you know how to conduct CPR, have a smattering of knowledge on the right thing to do in most situations and the capacity to let people know if you’re in trouble. What do you do if an earthquake strikes and you have no power or services to turn to?

This 99-cent app offers all the emergency frequencies of almost all the major police and emergency departments in the U.S., as well as air traffic control. (See video below).

You also get maps and you can use other apps while listening to a feed in the background.

This product is probably best used in conjunction with a solar powered charger, such as this one.

Get it here. Stay safe out there.

Headline Image: Royalty free via SXC.hu