Mobile App: iEmergency!

Travel insurance exists for a reason, but travelers rarely think they will need to use it as they embark upon a trip of a lifetime. If travel insurance isn´t high on your list of things to pack, a mobile app is a decent alternative and takes up less room in your luggage than a homemade first-aid kit.

iEmergency! is a free mobile app for iOS devices that stores emergency contact information for nearly any country in the world. The app detects a traveler´s location using GPS technology, or the traveler can manually select his location from a list of countries. If emergency assistance is needed, iEmergency! displays contact phone numbers for the police, the fire department or medical services. Unlike in the United States, some countries do not have the same telephone number for these three services, so iEmergency! stores such information in an easy-to-use app.

The app´s map service also uses GPS technology to display a map of the nearest hospital, fire station or police station. In case of an emergency of diplomatic proportions, a map also shows the location of the closest embassy of the traveler´s home country.

When adrenaline and panic set in during an overseas emergency, a quick click of an app can be an international lifesaver.