Tally another life saved for the Apple Watch and its Emergency SOS feature. A new Apple promotional video explains how the feature saved a New South Wales man’s life when he was swept out to sea in Australia.
Not just a matter of time. When Rick Shearman went for a swim near Byron Bay, he became caught in a rip that swept him out to sea. The Emergency SOS feature on his Apple Watch turned a frightening moment into a remarkable one.
Apple’s new promotional video, entitled “Rick’s Rescue,” highlights how the Emergency SOS feature of the Apple Watch can have an impact on people’s lives.
Shearman was rescued. thanks to the Apple Watch, by placing a call to emergency services in July 2024, while still in the water.
Shearman, an experienced swimmer from New South Wales, was bodysurfing in rough seas when a rip swept him about a mile from shore, to the point where he could no longer see the beach. Although he tried to swim back to shore for about 20 minutes, Shearman became fatigued and realized he needed help, and that’s when he decided to use his Apple Watch’s Emergency SOS feature. While treading water, he located the feature on the device and called emergency services.
A rescue helicopter was dispatched. The team located Shearman, and winched him into the aircraft to return him to the beach.
The event is depicted in the “Rick’s Rescue” video (seen above). While the dramatization uses computer-generated imagery rather than actual video footage, it does include Shearman’s voice, though, as the audio from his call to emergency services was used.
The Emergency SOS feature debuted in 2016, alongside the release of watchOS 3. The feature has helped save numerous lives over the years since. In 2019, a Chicago man credited his Apple wearable with saving him from drowning, following a jet ski accident. In 2024, the Apple Watch Emergency SOS feature helped save the life of a Delaware student after she passed out from carbon monoxide poisoning. And that’s only a few of the life saving stories.
How to Activate Emergency SOS on the Apple Watch
It’s easy to quickly activate the Emergency SOS feature on your Apple Watch. By default, your can call emergency services by holding the Apple Watch’s Side Button down for 5 seconds. This will reveal a menu, and a timer will start counting down. Emergency SOS will contact emergency services, like 911 in the United States, while also sending a message to your registered emergency contacts.
