jeebowhite Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I am quite surprised at how little is known about the modern 999 service, so thought I would share with my friends this information... Just in case you didn't know and in the hope you never need it, but if you do some of this might just save your life! 1) You don't need your network signal to call 999 - an emergency call from any mobile phone, will connect you to the nearest telephone mast, regardless of who the network is. They will also drop calls to give you the priority if you need it! If you don't have a signal - don't worry. 2) You can text 999! whilst you need to register for the service in advance, it could be a life saviour. If you find your in a poor signal area that calls are dropping out of, send a text to 999 with all the details they need to know - what service you need, the reason you need it, your location and any other details they need. The text will continue trying to send until it succeeds which may take up to a few minutes. If it sends then you will receive a text reply, but if you don't receive one after three minutes, send it again. To register for this service, text the word "Register" to 999. You should read the reply and follow the instructions. Its less than two minutes to do. 3) Do not turn your phone off after making a call - whilst your exact location may not be known, if you describe yourself as having a "crash on a rural road near a church", as long as your phones on, your location could be triangulated and the area you are in located. It could narrow down the time it takes you to be found. All of the above can be done from any mobile (not smartphones). However, if you have a smartphone: 4) install a small and simple app on your phone for easier GPS recognition of your location. If you are not at a particular address, or you are on an unknown road, your GPS coordinates are displayed instead. These can be used and given to the emergency services either by call, or by text. Android: GPS Location (by cop-apps.net - For Android) is very simple to use. Open the app, click the button "Decimal Degrees", your nearest address is displayed at the top of the screen. Apple: Free GPS (by codeburners): seems to be a basic GPS system that will allow you to do exactly what you need, identify your location, or way-points around you. 5) Save your next of kin, or as close as in your phone as ICE (whoever) so ICE BOB. If you also set that as a message on your screen saver, or startup message (or even just as a single contact in your address book) then the emergency services know who to contact if you' re unable to tell them. 6) Medical ID (Free) Emergency is a free app that can be downloaded for Android (an app of similar name is available for Apple also). Where you can input your medical data the emergency services can access from your lock screen. Hope you never need any of this, but if you do, I hope its of use to you! The sad fact is, All of this tripped based on a terrible storyline on Coronation Street. The minibus crash! I was shouting at the TV all of the above, so I thought if I was - how many weren't! Anyway, I hope none of you ever need it, but I highly recommend you all do it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theredfox Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 should be made asticky and saved to fav Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 I thought so, I will see how people respond to it, and if there is a lot of positive response to it, I will keep it as a sticky (presuming my moderator brethren agree) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
troy45 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 There's an iPhone app called RideiD which can be used to set up a wallpaper screen with ICE details, primarily aimed at cyclists but applies to other road users too or you could just copy the format and set up your own wallpaper. Went to a talk by a paramedic who covered this amongst other things and a lot of them know to check smart phones for this kind of thing in the event of an accident. iPhone compass will also show GPS position if you've got location services turned on (not sure if same with latest ios versions) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thanks Troy, its some further good information :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 87 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 That's some very useful information. I registered for the 999 text and installed that Android app (had a similar app on my old phone but forgot to download it on my new one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenST13 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Really good advice to know about the 999 service JeeboWhite. For people that have an iPhone with ios8 the health kit app pre installed on the phone can save all medical data and ice contacts. Then the emergency service can see this info from the lock screen by pressing the emergency tab bottom left then on the next screen there's the medical ID tab on the bottom left with everything they need too know. Save you having to do it with an app or screen saver. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 87 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 It's good that Apple included that without needing a separate app, hopefully Android will do something similar, or maybe they already have. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenST13 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I'm not sure with android as I've never had one. But the better half does I'll check with her 2nite and c if there is that feature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 87 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 How do the emergency services contact your next of kin if you don't have the details easily available? I mean if they can get my name and address from my driver's license can they somehow find my parents' details even though they live somewhere else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 They would eventually find rhem In recent family event it took the police 7 hours to track us down... Its best to have it in your phone as ice. I found an app for Android, but the issue is that unless you leave your phones security in swipe only, then you cannot access the app. Shame really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 87 Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 I'll have to have a look at what apps are available. Ideally the app needs to have something like an "ICE Details" button on the lock screen which anyone can access to get the phone numbers. I don't want to resort to putting it on the wallpaper or something. Of course I could just write a note and put it in my wallet, I'm assuming they would look through your wallet to try and find details about next of kin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted January 29, 2015 Author Share Posted January 29, 2015 Yeah they would do, they check wallets and phones. I also put a tax disk replacement In with my details. As for the apps, unless you have a custom rom all of them it seems block access to any 3rd party app. I contacted Samsung about it and they confirmed they don't and won't support it, but he passed my details onto the development team with the suggestion, they may incorporate it into further software releases... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 ...you should really be shot for watching coronation street you know.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 This is my wife's fault... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iantt Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Luckily the newer fords have emetgency assitanece, with gps locator on windscreen, if air bags go off then your phone thats synced with car rings emergency services for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ianb Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Luckily the newer fords have emetgency assitanece, with gps locator on windscreen, if air bags go off then your phone thats synced with car rings emergency services for youThat could make doing hit and runs more inconvenient......sorry, I realise I'm dumbing down a very serious and useful topic.. Sent via carrier pigeon using Ford OC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil 87 Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Yeah at least with Ford Emergency Assist we're all covered for the most likely reason that we would need an ambulance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeebowhite Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Not sure how the system works... I gather the stereo gets an 'oh feck' signal from the car, deals 999 and perhaps even a voice trigger says something like I'm ford blah blah blah here at gps coordinates' I guess... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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