A family in Oregon utilized an iPhone feature to survive after becoming lost in the Mt. Hood National Forest. The family, including two young children, embarked on a hike from the Salmon River Trailhead but found themselves stranded due to high altitude and severe weather conditions.
The Emergency SOS feature on their iPhone, available on the iPhone 14 model, allowed them to send a distress signal to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office when they were unable to find their way back in heavy snow. This feature enables users to contact emergency responders via satellite even when out of cell signal range, connecting them to satellites above the Earth for assistance.
Upon receiving the distress signal at 7:30 p.m., ground crews equipped with all-terrain vehicles faced challenges reaching the family due to snow, steep terrain, and fallen trees. A search-and-rescue team finally reached the family at 6 a.m. the following morning, finding them cold, wet, and dehydrated but unharmed.
Despite an unsuccessful helicopter rescue attempt, the family and rescuers were transported back to safety 24 hours after the initial SOS call. Another ground crew, utilizing a Snowcat vehicle, successfully retrieved the family from the remote location.
The Emergency SOS feature has been instrumental in saving lives in various situations. In previous incidents, it aided in rescuing a hiker and her dog swept down a Utah canyon by floodwaters and in saving a student in Delaware from carbon monoxide poisoning through the use of Emergency SOS on an Apple Watch.
Activating the Emergency SOS feature on an iPhone involves holding the lock button and one of the volume buttons, swiping across the emergency call slider when prompted. This feature has proven to be a crucial tool in emergency situations, providing a lifeline for individuals in distress.
