By Malcolm Turner

EVCC Education Director

Many EVCC rides are in areas without any cell phone coverage, Accidents happen though and Emergency Services may need to be called.  Where there is cell coverage, try calling 911 first.  911 is the emergency contact number for the national parks (Banff, Yoho, Kootenay and Jasper), Kananaskis Country, Calgary and the rest of Alberta. A call might be successful even with only one bar.  If not, then try a satellite emergency text.

Recent iPhone models, 14 and higher support satellite texting, SOS and location sharing.  Some higher-end Google and Samsung phones may have satellite connectivity.

If a cell network isn’t available, an iPhone displays SOS in the upper right corner of the screen and will try to route an emergency call through any other available network. If that doesn’t work, tap Emergency SOS via Satellite to text Emergency Services. Then tap Report Emergency and follow the on-screen instructions.  Have your location handy.

To connect to a satellite, hold your phone naturally.  No need to hold it over your head, do make sure the phone has a clear line of sight to the sky.  If you’re under trees or surrounded by mountains, you may not be able to connect with a satellite.  In this event, ride to a spot where a satellite or cellular connection is possible.

An Emergency SOS demo is available to try before a ride.  This demo will not initiate an emergency text.  Instead, it shows how to connect to a satellite and what questions to expect.  On your iPhone go to Settings > Emergency SOS > Emergency SOS via Satellite > Try Demo and follow the prompts.