Health and Wellness apps – What they mean to 9-1-1

Health and Wellness apps – What they mean to 9-1-1

Written By: Destanie Ontiveros, NCT9-1-1 Communications Coordinator

As we continue to recover from a world pandemic, it has become apparent of how important our health and wellness is. That being said, let’s talk about how health and wellness apps help connect people to 9-1-1. Companies like Apple and Google who offer health and wellness apps have implemented emergency services into those apps. So, what does this mean for 9-1-1 services? How does this affect 9-1-1 telecommunicators who are answering these emergency calls?

 

Apple’s in house health app implements 9-1-1 services through Emergency SOS, Fall Detection, and Medical ID. When these applications detect any emergency, the Apple device will call 9-1-1 and automatically send saved medical information to 9-1-1. Google also offers a form of emergency assistance that is integrated into their technology. On Android devices, you can access health information via Google Fit on the lock screen whether the device is locked or not.

 

As far as emergency services are concerned, the more tangible information, the better. If you need emergency assistance, but are not able to call, talk, or text 9-1-1 your emergency or basic information, the information being automatically provided by these health and wellness apps help serve that purpose. The more information the 9-1-1 telecommunicator knows about the person calling, the better they are able to assist them in their emergency.

 

In regard to the 9-1-1 telecommunicators, having this information sent automatically saves time, especially when every second counts. As 9-1-1 telecommunicators are navigating between channels of communication and dispatching first responders to the emergency, they are able to cut down the response time.

 

Technology has come a long way. With new innovative technology, some health and wellness apps allow people to directly contact 9-1-1 without having to call or text 9-1-1. Utilizing these health and wellness apps can help 9-1-1 better assist the 9-1-1 caller. Important health information being shared to 9-1-1 helps both the 9-1-1 caller and 9-1-1 telecommunicators by cutting down response time. As early adopters, NCT9-1-1 looks forward to seeing how technology continues to evolve and aid in 9-1-1 services.

 

 





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