Avalanche Survivors Used this Smartphone Feature to Get Help

Six people survived the catastrophic avalanche near Lake Tahoe on Feb. 17. Over 40 first-responders were able to reach some of the group of 15. Eight people were found dead and one person is missing and presumed dead as more snow, low visibility and high winds continue. This is the deadliest avalanche in California in recent years. The families identified the women who died in the avalanche. They were part of a close-knit group of friends, including two sisters, who skied together regularly.

The iPhone Emergency SOS Feature

The people who survived were able to use an emergency feature that is on some iPhones, which enabled them to send messages to first responders when they had no cell signal, date, or Wi-Fi.

“Emergency SOS via satellite can help you connect with public emergency services under exceptional circumstances when no other means of reaching emergency services are available.

If you call or text emergency services but can't connect because you're off the grid — somewhere with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage — your iPhone tries to connect you via satellite.

To connect to a satellite, you need to be outside with a clear view of the sky and horizon. When you use a satellite connection, the experience is different than sending or receiving a message via cellular,” according to the Apple support page. Go to the support page to learn the step-by-step instructions.

Which iPhones Have This Emergency Feature?

Not all iPhones have this feature. It’s only available on iPhone model 14 or later. You need to run iOS 16.1 or later, but some local emergency numbers required iOS16.4 or later.

What about Pixel Phones?

Yes, Pixel phones also have this feature. You need to have Pixel 9 or later to get access. The Google support page offers step-wise instructions for how to access this feature.

Knowing how to access emergency features before you go on your next adventure.