Beyond Falls and Chest Pain: Other Ways Medical Alerts Save Lives

When most people think of medical alert systems, they think of taking a bad fall or sharp chest pain. It’s true that these are common reasons for people to call for help, but they are far from the only ones. There are countless situations in which having a medical alert device can save your life and help you avoid serious injury.

• Fire Evacuation: If there’s a fire, you may need assistance evacuating. Alert1 allows you to send for help immediately while also communicating your exact location through GPS. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, adults 65-74 years old are more than twice as likely than the general population to die in fires. Adults 85 years or older were almost 5 times as likely to die in fires. This statistic can be changed, however. Fire rescue teams are capable of incredible feats—when they know exactly where you are in a home or building.

• Home Intruder: Seniors may feel unprepared to repel a home intruder, but sometimes merely the sound of our Command Center call operators is enough to scare off an intruder before an encounter occurs. Frequent consumers of the local news will recognize that, every once in a while, these systems are credited with helping catch a burglar in the act. Our Command Center is ready to send help your way 24/7.
  

• Gas Leaks: Even when they don’t cause an explosion, these leaks can be dangerous for people of all ages. However, they are especially deadly to people 65 and older, according to theNational Fire Protection Associationand data from the CDC.Older people are more vulnerable to gas leaks because they can’t smell the fumes as well and because they’re more prone to feel the effects of inhaling too much gas. For extra protection, it’s also a good idea to install a gas leak detector in your home. When a leak is detected or suspected, an alert from a device will send help fast and likely get the gas company in-the-know as well.

• Natural Disasters: A tornado, hurricane, or earthquake can leave you trapped underneath a partially collapsed home or building. The GPS function of these alert systems allows search and rescue teams to know where you are.

• Saving the Life of a Loved One: With our GPS-enabled system, a secondary alert device may be used by a loved one or caretaker to activate the system remotely if a senior has gone missing. The most common example is a senior who is wandering due to dementia or other cognitive impairment, but it can be used anytime the person has gone missing in worrisome circumstances. Likewise, the system can be used by someone else if a medical emergency caused the person to lose consciousness before they could activate the system themselves.