Android users with the Personal Safety app can now share medical information with first responders when calling or texting 911, a feature that has been available for iPhone users since the rollout of iOS 13.5 in 2020. This information can include caller name, allergies, emergency contacts, and preexisting medical conditions. The ECC director at Baltimore City Fire Department, Tenea Reddick, stated that this information can be accessed before dispatch, saving time and especially beneficial if the person contacting 911 is unable to communicate. This feature is currently only available on Androids with the Personal Safety app, such as the Nothing Phone 1 and the Google Pixel 4 through Google Pixel 8 Pro.
RapidSOS, a safety platform that securely shares critical information, runs both Android and Apple’s services. Apple users can access Medical ID, which stores similar information and shares it with first responders. RapidSOS has provided Android users with the ability to send location data since 2018.
