Emergency Signal Feature on iPhone 14 Saves Woman Caught in Flash Flood

Illustration of the Satellite Connectivity feature (Emergency SOS) on the iPhone 14 (Mobile Syrup)

TECHFITNOW.COM - The Satellite Communication (Emergency SOS) feature on the iPhone 14 series once again proved to be a lifesaver for one individual. This time, it saved the life of a woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, and her dog, who were caught in a flash flood. The incident occurred in Utah, United States, on Thursday, August 24, 2023. At that time, a 38-year-old woman and her dog were in the Mary Jane Canyon area in Utah. She reported hearing the approaching flash flood and wasted no time in seeking higher ground for safety. However, as they reached the sandy shore along with her dog, the floodwaters continued to rise and erode the sand. Eventually, both the woman and her dog were swept away by the flash flood, covering a distance of approximately 45-60 meters. She even lost her shoes in the process. Just moments before being swept away, she managed to send an emergency signal for help using the Satellite Communication (Emergency SOS) feature on her iPhone. The specific iPhone 14 model she used was not mentioned. Unfortunately, the notification that appeared indicated that the message failed to be delivered to emergency services.

The message read, "Emergency Services: Message Send Failure." Seeing this notification, she believed that her SOS message had not been transmitted or had not gone through. Fortunately, both she and her dog managed to reach dry land despite being covered in mud. She then hiked to higher ground barefoot with her dog and sought shelter, as reported by KompasTekno via Mobile Syrup on Saturday, September 2, 2023. Fortunately, help arrived a few minutes later. It turns out that the Search and Rescue (SAR) team from the local Grand County Sheriff's department continued to receive the emergency message sent by the woman through her iPhone. According to the timeline shared by the SAR team on their Facebook account, the emergency signal was detected around 7:22 PM local time. "When Mary Jane Canyon was swept by a flash flood on Thursday, August 24, 2023, a 38-year-old woman sent an SOS signal using her iPhone," wrote the SAR team. It was noted that the message only contained geographic coordinates with no emergency status information. It's possible that the emergency signal failed to transmit initially. "After not finding anyone near the reported coordinates, the team flew down the canyon and spotted a woman with her dog about 3.2 kilometers downstream from the original coordinates," the SAR Grand County Sheriff's team detailed in their Facebook post. The rescue operation was then carried out, and by around 9:25 PM local time, the woman and her dog were successfully rescued. The SAR team mentioned that the woman did not suffer any serious injuries.

The condition of Ngarai Mary Jane currently being hit by a flood (Facebook/Grand County Sheriff's Search and Rescue)

How the Satellite Connectivity Feature Works

As information, the Satellite Communication or Emergency feature is exclusively available on the iPhone 14 series. Prior to the incident in Utah, this feature had already assisted many users in emergency situations, such as slipping from cliffs, getting lost, or being involved in accidents. As the name suggests, this feature sends emergency messages without relying on cellular network signals, instead utilizing satellite connectivity. To use it, you simply point your iPhone 14 towards the nearest satellite to establish a connection. Once connected, users are prompted to describe the type of assistance needed through a brief message. Although the data transfer speed is slower and relies on satellite connection quality, this feature is highly valuable because it offers an alternative option for users in emergency situations. However, it's important to note that Apple's Satellite Communication feature is only available for free for two years for all iPhone 14 series models, including the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Furthermore, this feature is still limited to a few countries and is not yet available in Indonesia.