Apple Watch has become the ultimate lifeguard when a woman in Oregon used hers to call 911 after being trapped in 56-degree water. Its Series 2 is the evolution of the watch, making it a great swim tracker as it has become more robust in its water resistance and aquatic workout capabilities.
Apple Watch 911
According to a police report from Dalles, Oregon, first responders rescued a woman swimming in the Columbia River. Her foot got caught in rocks and was trapped, exhausted, and showing signs of hypothermia. She then made the emergency call to 911 for help from her Apple Watch.
Police reports say that the woman had been in the water for more than 30 minutes. Apple Watch has an SOS feature that lets wearers call emergency services just by holding the side button for a few seconds. This feature requires that the watch have cellular support and an active plan to work without the iPhone nearby.
Apple Watch Saves Swimmer
Upon arriving on the scene, the first responders offered a ladder to the troubled swimmer. They did this while freeing her foot from the rocks it got tangled in. However, this proved to be unsuccessful.
Dalles Police Department’s Officer Reams assessed the scene and confirmed that they needed to rescue the woman quickly. He added that he needed to be in the water to get a feel of the entrapment and how to make a successful rescue. This was the only viable way as the water was dark and murky, making assessments from above the water an impossibility.
The report states that Officer reams took off his ballistic vest and duty belt on the shore to go in the water himself. He cautiously entered and went towards the area where the woman was. He then reached under the water and was able to grasp the swimmer’s foot.
With his head above the water, Officer Reams was able to free the woman’s stuck foot and get her to safety. He then let the firefighters take over to complete the rescue.
At that time, the Columbia River had exceptionally high water levels due to torrential rains. Flooding in the city has been reported as well. During the incident, the water temperature was at around 56 degrees Fahrenheit (13C).
Apple Watch’s Swimming Assistance Feature
In 2016, Apple introduced the water-resistance feature in its smartwatch series. The aim was to provide users with health and exercise data while swimming and many other similar water-based activities.
The newer iPhones are made to be resistant to splashes and are rated for use in pools and open water swimming. Because of these features, the watch has been lauded as a hero for saving numerous lives. This includes its feature that reminds users prior to heart attacks.
The watch also recognizes the early signs of a heart problem even before being diagnosed. In these instances, the watch’s sensors were credited for the heroic deeds. In the case of the woman swimmer’s situation, she was saved by the watch’s ability to make emergency calls and raise alerts of her whereabouts even without a phone in the area.
However, this feature is not exclusive to Apple watches. There are several wearables that currently provide cellular connectivity and water resistance with swim compatibility features. They, too, alert emergency services and help their users raise a 911 alarm remotely. In the same way as Apple, these watches can raise these alerts even without a phone nearby.
The tech giant will be launching its 8th generation of its watch later this year. A design overhaul and more design improvements are expected.
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