How to Tell People You Are Safe During an Emergency
Following the attack on Ariana Grande’s concert in Manchester, which killed 22 people and injured more than 50, Facebook activated a security check feature , giving users in the area the ability to convince friends and family that they were safe.
In a situation like a bomb explosion or mass shooting, safety should be a priority, and you should only alert others to your situation when you are completely out of danger. It’s safe to assume that most of the people at the pop concert are connected to Facebook and other social media platforms, but there are other, more effective ways to alert family and friends to your well-being during the crisis. In fact, the best ways to tell your friends that you are safe can be built into your phone.
Facebook security check
According to Facebook, thesecurity screening feature is activated when “a lot of people talk about the incident” and the company receives a notification from “global crisis agencies NC4 and iJET International.” While you cannot activate the security check feature yourself, Facebook will automatically prompt you to flag yourself as safe based on your location, content updates from users in the affected area, and reports from independent agencies. This is a step up from the initial incarnation of the service, in which Facebook was left at Facebook’s discretion to manually determine whether an incident met security screening requirements.
Apple Find My Friends
The pre-installed Apple Find My Friends app lets you share your location with anyone as long as they have an iOS device running iOS 8 or later. Of course, you will need to give the app access to your location data. From there, you will see a map showing your location and the location of your friends if they want to share with you.
In terms of convenience, Find My Friends allows you to share and hide your location with a single tap, and notify specific friends when you arrive, are in, or leave a specific location. You can also make a FaceTime call or text message from within the app, perfect for communicating the situation to loved ones.
Google Trusted Contacts
Google has a similar feature, although you’ll have to download the app yourself. This is called Trusted Contacts and works in a similar way to Apple’s location sharing offering. Choose friends and family you trust with your location data and alert them when you have an emergency.
You will need an Android app from the Play Store (iOS version is in development), but your approved contacts can use their web browser to request your location. If the person is not currently reporting their location, you can request it, and after five minutes of inactivity, Google will report the user’s last known location. The user’s phone will also start ringing, which will be a new way to find your Pixel between the couch cushions.
Prepare in advance
Since you can never predict when a crisis will hit, it is great to practice some emergency preparedness , such as arranging places to meet with friends or having ID with you for emergency phone numbers, your blood type, or other relevant medical information.
Funnily enough, Facebook’s security check, Google Trusted Contacts, and Apple’s Find My Friends don’t allow you to flag yourself as “unsafe,” which would be helpful if you’re a victim unable to escape danger.