What would we ever do without our phones? Some might say they would “die” without theirs, but that’s not much of an exaggeration when considering your device’s potential from saving you from danger. Stay safe with these potentially life-saving apps.

American Red Cross First Aid

Quick, do you know how to do the Heimlich Maneuver? How to assist someone who’s having an asthma attack? How to treat a burn? Probably not. The American Red Cross has stepped up with a free app that downloads mergency preparedness information straight to your phone, letting you access this knowledge whether or not you’re connected to the Internet. This isn’t the only app the American Red Cross offers, either, with apps dedicated to everything from hurricane safety to pet health.

Google Trusted Contact

Sure, phones can pose a distraction, but there are some obvious upsides to always having your phone on you. Case in point: if you ever get into trouble, your phone can act as a lifeline to the outside world, even if you aren’t using it. Google’s recently-released Trusted Contact app is a good example. After installing the app, you allow it to give friends and families access to your location data in case of emergency. It works even if you lose mobile service. There are a few apps that revolve around a similar concept, but frankly, which do you trust more — a random app, or one from Google?

SafeTrek

SafeTrek is an app that’s designed for those potentially unsafe situations where you’re feeling on guard, yet not in enough danger to call emergency services. When you feel that you might soon be in danger, you can pull up the app, which centers around a big button you hold down until the danger has passed. If your thumb comes off the button, the phone will prompt you to enter a PIN within 10 seconds, and if the code isn’t entered, it will call for help.

Apple Health Medical ID

If there’s ever a time you need to seek medical treatment, you’ll want to provide as much information as possible. But, if you’re in a state where you can’t, you can count on your iPhone to provide medical workers with all your necessary information. Built into Apple’s Health app, Medical ID is a hub for all your medical information, from emergency contacts to blood type. It’s accessible straight from your phone’s lock screen, meaning that health workers can pull it up without having to unlock your phone. Unfortunately, this feature isn’t yet built into Android, but you can find apps that mimic the functionality in the Play Store.

Try to download these apps the next you have a little spare time. You’ll spend a little money, and hopefully, you’ll never need to use them. But if you do, you’ll be glad you have them!

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