This unique feature of Apple Watch saves life after man falls off a cliff

Apple Watch's 'fall detection' feature is auto-enabled for users over age 65 (REUTERS)

The ‘fall detection’ feature of Apple Watch has saved yet another life. This time, Apple’s wearable called 911 when a young couple in New Jersey fell over a steep cliff while hiking in a park.

Last week, James Prudenciano and his date Paige Paruso were hiking in Hartshorne Woods Park in New Jersey. After the sunset, Prudenciano had difficulties to see in the woods. They decided to slide down the cliff but soon realised there was nothing below.

“I looked down and I noticed it was a straight drop to rocks and water,” James Prudenciano told News 12. Prudenciano fell into the river in the Hartshorne Woods Park and landed on a rock, according to the News 12 report.

“I was screaming that I’m going to die because I really felt I was going to die. There was no way out of this for me,” said Prudenciano.

As Prudenciano was wearing an Apple Watch, it detected a hard fall and called 911. Prudenciano’s mother received three text messages that her son was going through an emergency. Apple Watch Series 4 and later versions have this built-in ‘fall detection’ feature.

They were rescued from the river by boat and transported to Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment. He suffered three fractures in his back.

Apple’s ‘fall detection feature’ detects a sudden fall and calls emergency services if the person doesn’t dismiss the alert within one minute of falling. If the user has already filled the emergency contact, Apple Watch will send a text message with a map of watch’s location of the sudden fall. That’s exactly what happened when Prudenciano fell through some foliage and landed on a rock. The feature is automatically enabled for users aged over 65.

In September, Apple ‘fall detection’ feature had saved a man’s life at Spokane when he met an accident and fell from his bike. His son wrote a message on Facebook thanking Apple Watch for the prompt action.

[“source=livemint”]