Apple Emergency SOS feature is credited with saving family’s life in Maui wildfires after cell tower communication was cut and it guided them to safety
- READ MORE: Maui fire live updates – follow along for all of the latest coverage
- President Joe Biden has now declared a major emergency in Maui, Hawaii
- The fire has killed 36 people so far in the ‘unprecedented’ disaster
Apple’s Emergency SOS system has been credited with saving a family from the deadly wildfires sweeping across Maui.
Michael Miraflor claims that his relatives were caught in their vehicle while trying to flee the Hawaiian island when the blaze started to engulf them.
Five of his loved ones were in a white van but were unable to call for help after cell phone towers went down – leaving thousands without a way to contact emergency services or relatives.
Residents even lost access to 911 communications, with Hawaii Lieutenant Gov Sylvia Like confirming phone service was down, and hospitals were overrun.
But despite having no cell service, the family was able to get in contact with the emergency services using Apple’s satellite system.
The feature is available on all models of the iPhone 14 and means that the phones can connect directly to a satellite through a combination of custom-designed components and deeply integrated software.
Michael Miraflor claims that his relatives were caught in their vehicle while trying to flee Maui when the blaze started to engulf them
Five of his loved ones were in a white van but were unable to call for help after cell phone towers went down – leaving thousands without a way to contact emergency services or relatives
In a tweet, Miraflor said: ‘My brother’s girlfriend’s cousin and his family were caught in their vehicle in Maui while the wildfires suddenly erupted around them.
‘No cell service, so Apple Emergency SOS was the only way they could get in contact with first responders. Literally saved their lives.’
Screenshots of the exchange show that the family were able to give their location and a description of the vehicle, saying that there was ‘fire everywhere’.
They were able to send a exact pinpoint for their location, saying that every building around them was on fire.
Emergency services then updated the fire department to get someone to their location, after being informed that they could not reach the ocean and ‘visibility is zero’.
It took 32 minutes for the situation to be resolved, with responders locating the car after they switched on their hazard lights and were evacuated from the area.
Their location and the conversation was also shared with their listed emergency contacts, to keep them up to date with the situation.
Contacts which have a non-Apple device or don’t have a working iPhone with iOS16.1 or later received a message which alerts them about the emergency.
Horrifying footage shot from a plane landing in Maui shows the extent of the fires which continue to ravage the small island
Aerial images show the utter devastation of Lahaina after wildfires burned through the small town
Hundreds of residents are still missing after the fire, which swept through the small town after starting on August 8
Satellite connection is offered when an emergency number is contacted but unable to connect, with a messaging option popping up.
Emergency SOS via satellite is free for two years after the activation of iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro.
The satellite builds on existing features vital to iPhone users, including Emergency SOS, Medical ID, emergency contacts, and Find My location sharing.
It allows Public Safety Answering Points — or emergency services call centers — to connect to even more users in emergency situations.
No additional software or protocols are required to enable communications, and users will be connected directly to emergency services that are equipped to receive text messages.
Alternatively they are connected to relay centers with Apple-trained emergency specialists who are ready to contact PSAPs that cannot receive text messages on the user’s behalf.
President Biden has also declared a major disaster in Maui County and ordered federal aid to help state and local recovery efforts.
President Joe Biden has declared a major emergency in Hawaii, allowing residents and businesses access to federal funding
State officials are working with hotels and airlines to try to evacuate thousands of tourists to another island
The Hawaii Department of Transportation confirmed that Maui’s Kahului Airport is open, with thousands stranded there trying to escape the island
Authorities confirmed that at least 36 people have been killed in the wildfires, with locals fearing that the death toll will continue to rise and warning that it is a ‘mass casualty event’.
Hundreds of people are still missing on the island, with concerned relatives posting on social media in a bid to locate them.
Family members have been urged to contact the Red Cross as well as local hospitals in a bid to locate their relatives, after communication lines have been severed due to the level of destruction by the fire.
Maui firefighters and emergency services are overwhelmed with the scale of the blaze in the historic town of Lahaina – where 800 hectares of land and 271 buildings have been ‘decimated’.
State officials are working with hotels and airlines to try to evacuate thousands of tourists to another island.
The Hawaii Department of Transportation confirmed that Maui’s Kahului Airport is open, with thousands stranded there trying to escape the island.
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