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Vanlife Assistant

Emergency Mode: What it is and how to use it

Emergency Mode: What it is and how to use it 🚨

Section titled “Emergency Mode: What it is and how to use it 🚨”

Emergency Mode transforms your phone into a crisis survival tool. By removing all distractions, menus, and standard app features, it presents a highly visible, locked-down screen with only the tools you need to survive, signal for help, and communicate with rescue services.

🛡️ How to use the Dashboard

Section titled “🛡️ How to use the Dashboard”

1. Smart Dialling

Section titled “1. Smart Dialling”

When you cross borders, emergency numbers change (e.g., 999 in the UK, 112 in France, 911 in the USA).

  • You do not need to remember local numbers.
  • The giant red Call Emergency button automatically detects your current country via GPS and sets up the correct local emergency number. Just tap it to dial.

2. Precise Location Beacon

Section titled “2. Precise Location Beacon”

Rescue services will ask where you are. The dashboard prominently displays:

  • Your exact Latitude and Longitude coordinates.
  • Your current Altitude (crucial for mountain rescues).
  • Your Nearest Address / Place Name.
  • what3words Integration: Tap the /// what3words button to instantly open the what3words app (or website) at your exact location to generate a 3-word location identifier for emergency services.
  • Need to text your location? Tap the Copy Coords button to instantly copy your GPS data to your clipboard.

3. Visual & Audio SOS Signals

Section titled “3. Visual & Audio SOS Signals”

If you are stranded off-grid, you can use your phone as a physical beacon to guide rescuers:

  • Siren: Tap the Siren button to play a piercing, continuous alarm sound from your device’s speakers.
  • Torch & SOS Flash: Tap the Torch icon to turn on your flashlight. Long-press the Torch button to activate SOS Signal—this will flash your phone’s camera light AND strobe your phone screen bright white in a continuous Morse code S-O-S pattern (... --- ...).

4. Progressive Document Disclosure (The Vault)

Section titled “4. Progressive Document Disclosure (The Vault)”

To keep the screen clean during a panic, your documents are hidden by default. However, Vanlife Assistant is smart:

  • If you tap the Medical or Fire call buttons, a blue Documents button will dynamically appear. Tapping it will instantly bring up your Medical documents (like insurance and GHIC cards).
  • If you tap Police, it prepares your ID and Passports.
  • If you tap Recovery, it prepares your Vehicle Registration and V5C. (This uses the secure Border Mode presentation style).

🔒 Safe Exiting

Section titled “🔒 Safe Exiting”

Because you don’t want to accidentally close this screen while fumbling in an emergency, standard iOS swipe-to-dismiss gestures are disabled.

To exit Emergency Mode, you must explicitly tap the EXIT button in the top right corner and confirm your choice. Exiting will also safely turn off any active Sirens or SOS flashlight strobes.