Alerting your company medics in an emergency
How the SOS feature works, for everyone in the office and for company medics.
On this page
How the SOS feature works, for everyone in the office and for company medics.
What the SOS feature is
If someone at work is hurt or becomes unwell, the SOS feature lets you alert the company medics (the colleagues trained in first aid) in a few taps. The alert goes straight to the medics who are at your office right now. Their phones ring like an alarm until they respond, and you are told who is coming.
- Someone needs help. They tap "Alert medics" in the app or web app.
- The app picks medics. It sends the alert once, only to medics checked in at that office right now.
- Medics' phones ring. A checked-in medic's phone rings until answered. A medic who is not checked in is not alerted.
- Each answer comes back to the reporter as a popup.
From your tap to a medic on the way.
Key points
- Anyone can send an alert. Everyone who works in the office can send an alert, from the mobile app or the web app.
- Only medics on site are alerted. The alert goes to company medics who are checked in at your office right now, so the people alerted can actually come.
- The phone keeps ringing. A medic's phone rings like an alarm until they respond, even if the app is closed.
- You always hear back. You get a message when a medic is on the way, when a medic can't come, and if nobody can come.
Who receives an alert?
Only medics who are checked in at your office and signed in to the app are alerted.
Not alerted:
- A medic who isn't checked in
- A medic who is signed out of the app
You never receive your own alert (except a test alert).
Sending an alert
This part is for everyone. You can send an alert from the Company medics screen in the mobile app or the web app.
Step by step
- Open the Company medics screen.
- Tap the red Alert medics button at the bottom of the screen. To alert one particular medic, tap Send alert next to their name, or on their details page.
- If more than one medic is checked in, a list appears with all of them ticked. Untick anyone you don't want to alert, then tap Next. If only one medic is checked in, this step is skipped.
- Check Where are you? Your own checked-in desk is filled in for you. If you are somewhere else, tap a desk on the floor plan. Tap My check-in to go back to your own desk. If your office has no floor plan, type where you are.
- Optionally, describe What happened?
- Tap Send.
Good to know
- The footer button is greyed out when no medic is checked in.
- "Send alert" only appears next to a medic who is online.
What you see on screen
The alert you fill in:
- To lists the chosen medics.
- Where are you? is pre-filled with the reporter's checked-in workplace. Pick a desk on the floor plan, or jump back with "My check-in". It is typed by hand only when the office has no floor plan.
- What happened? (optional) is an optional description.
What the medic sees on their phone: an Emergency alert screen with the reporter's name and the time, their desk, floor and office, and what happened. Below that are the buttons I'm on my way, Stop alarm, Call followed by the reporter's name, and Dismiss. It can't be closed until answered, stopped or dismissed.
After sending
| Message | What it means |
|---|---|
| The number of medics alerted | Your alert was sent. The medics' phones are ringing. |
| "No company medic is checked in right now." | There is nobody to alert at the moment. Find help another way. |
| "The alert could not be sent. Try again." | Something went wrong. Tap Send again. |
Keeping you informed
Every time a medic responds, a message pops up on your screen.
| Example | ||
|---|---|---|
| Someone is coming | "Sanne de Vries is on the way to Jeroen Smit" | You see who is coming. Other medics who got the alert see it too. |
| A medic can't come | "Piet Jansen dismissed your emergency alert and can't come" | If several of these arrive, the newest one replaces the older one. |
| Nobody can come | Every medic you alerted has said they can't come | You are told that none of them can come, so you know to get help another way. |
Receiving and answering an alert
This part is for company medics. When an alert arrives, your phone rings like an alarm and keeps ringing until you respond.
How the alert reaches you
An alert reaches you whether the app is open, in the background or closed.
| Your situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| The app is open | The alert screen opens on top of everything else and a siren plays on repeat. On Android, the siren plays even when your phone is on silent. |
| Android phone, app in the background or closed | The alert fills the screen, even on the lock screen, and the alarm keeps sounding until you respond. You can answer straight from it with I'm on my way, Stop alarm or Call. |
| iPhone, app in the background or closed | You get an urgent notification. Once Apple approves it, the alert will also sound when your iPhone is on silent or in Do Not Disturb. |
| Web browser | The alert appears in a pop-up window in the open web app. The siren plays once your browser allows sound (usually after you have clicked somewhere on the page). |
Your four options
The alert screen shows who sent the alert, the time, where they are (desk, floor and office) and what happened. Below that are four buttons:
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| I'm on my way | Alarm stops. The reporter is told who is coming. |
| Stop alarm | Alarm goes quiet. The alert stays open and unanswered. |
| Dismiss | The medic can't come. The reporter is told. |
| Call the reporter | Phones the reporter, if they share a phone number. |
What happens after you respond
| Response | Who is told what |
|---|---|
| I'm on my way | Reporter and the other alerted medics are told who is coming |
| Stop alarm | Only this phone goes quiet. Nobody is told |
| Dismiss | Reporter is told this medic can't come |
I'm on my way
- The alarm stops.
- The person who sent the alert is told that you are coming.
- The other medics who were alerted are told too. Their phones stop ringing and their screens show who is on the way.
Stop alarm
- Only the sound stops.
- The alert stays open, and you can still respond to it.
- Nobody else is told anything.
Dismiss
- You are asked to confirm, for example: "Dismiss this alert? Jeroen Smit will be told you can't come."
- The alert goes quiet and the screen closes.
- The person who sent the alert is told that you can't come. If every alerted medic dismisses, they are told that none of you can come.
Closing the alert screen
The alert screen stays open until you respond, stop the alarm or dismiss the alert. You can also close it once another medic is on the way, or if your response could not be sent.
The button Call, followed by their name, phones the person who sent the alert, if they have shared a phone number.
Getting your phone ready
This part is for company medics. Phones can silence alarms in many ways, for example through notification settings, battery saving or Do Not Disturb. The Emergency alert setup page checks all of this for you.
Where to find it
Open your profile and tap the red Emergency alert setup button. Only company medics see this button.
The setup page lists each setting with a green tick (on) or a "Turn on" button (off).
| Your phone | Settings that are checked |
|---|---|
| Mobile app | Notifications, full-screen alerts, Do Not Disturb access, and battery saving (so the phone doesn't put the app to sleep) |
| iPhone | Notifications, Time Sensitive notifications, and critical alerts |
Turning a setting on
Tap Turn on. A short guide opens that explains why the setting matters and shows step by step how to switch it on for your phone. The setting is only changed when you tap the button in the guide.
Sending yourself a test alert
Tap Send test SOS. A test alert is sent to your own devices only, so you can hear and see exactly what a real alert looks like. Nobody else is alerted, and dismissing a test alert doesn't ask for confirmation.
Four habits that make sure you are reachable
- Stay signed in. Alerts only reach medics who are signed in to the app.
- Check in at the office. Only medics who are checked in right now receive alerts.
- Run the setup check. Make sure every setting shows a green tick.
- Send yourself a test. Hear and see the alarm before a real emergency.
Do these once, and keep them in mind.
Questions and answers
Does the alert go to every medic in the company?
No. It only goes to company medics who are checked in at your office right now. That way, the people alerted are close enough to help.
Will a medic be alerted again if they don't respond?
The alert is sent once, but the medic's phone keeps ringing until they respond, stop the alarm or dismiss it.
What if I sign out of the app?
Signed-out users don't receive alerts. Medics should stay signed in while they are on duty.
We share one phone between two accounts. Who sees the alert?
Only the person who is signed in at that moment.
Can I choose which medics to alert?
Yes. When several medics are checked in, you can untick anyone you don't want to alert. You can also alert one medic directly with Send alert next to their name.
What if no medic can come?
If every medic you alerted dismisses the alert, you are told that none of them can come, so you know to get help another way.
What is the difference between "Stop alarm" and "Dismiss"?
"Stop alarm" only silences your phone. The alert stays open and nobody is told. "Dismiss" tells the person who sent the alert that you can't come.
Will I get the same alert twice?
No. Even if your phone receives the alert in more than one way, it only rings once.
Does SOS change my other notifications?
No. SOS alerts are completely separate. Your other notifications from the app work exactly as before.
Which languages are supported?
English and Dutch.