I hope you never have to use this new Alexa safety feature
Within seconds of saying, “Alexa, call for help,” your designated contacts will receive a call and a text letting them know to check on you.
Perhaps you live solo and like the added peace of mind knowing Alexa can call your bestie or family members for help whenever you need it. Or maybe you have an elderly loved one with special needs or kids who are home alone for a couple hours after school.
Since we can’t predict when we or our loved ones will need help fast, I recommend that all Alexa users enable this feature.
Pro Tip #1
We love this new Alexa feature, but in an emergency, you should always call 911 from a phone. Alexa cannot call 911, but your emergency pal can call the police, fire, or an ambulance for you.
Do This Now: Set your emergency contact while you’re thinking of it
It’s easy to set up your emergency contact from the Alexa app:
- Open the Alexa app and tap “Communicate” in the bottom navigation bar
- Tap the person-shaped button on the top right of the screen
- Scroll through your list of contacts until you find the person you want, then tap their name
- Tap “Add as Emergency Contact”
- Select which of the contact’s stored numbers you would like Alexa to call and text (Pick a cell phone number to enable both! Your chosen person will get a text message letting them know they were picked)
- Test it out by saying “Alexa, call for help.” Your emergency contact will receive a text that says “Emergency Alert: (Your name) or someone in their home just called for help. You can call them back on their Echo device from your Alexa app, or try calling their phone,” and their phone should ring with you on the line from your Echo.
Pro Tip #2
You can only choose one person and number as your emergency contact. That way, there’s no question about who Alexa will contact when you say “Alexa, call for help.”
Pro Tip #3
This feature only works from Alexa devices, not from the Alexa app.