Lost hiking or in the great outdoors, with little network? Here is what to do before you no longer have a battery …
This is the kind of situation that we always think improbable. And yet. An improvised hike in the Cévennes, a solo walk in the mountains, a family outing by bicycle, a little too far from the marked path or a car breakdown in the great outdoors … And suddenly, no network, no way to call around it or help. As a bonus, the phone battery threatens to let go. Worse still: you are alone, injured, unable to move forward … What to do when you can neither call, nor send your position, and that the phone is our only link with the outside?
On Tiktok, a firefighter gives a tip as simple as little known. An idea of a last resort, to activate quickly when you realize that you are lost or in danger. It does not request application or specific equipment, but it could allow help to find you much more easily. According to this firefighter, this simple gesture can make a real difference. You just have to think about it in time …
His advice? Immediately modify the messaging of your answering machine. Just record a new voice announcement by describing the situation precisely. On this new vocal mail message, give “Your name and first name, explain what happened to you, specify your location, if you are injured, whether you are lost or you have had a car breakdown“, Recommend the firefighter. Do not forget to enter the date and time as well as all the elements you will consider necessary. So, even if you can no longer make a call, anyone who will try to join (friends, family, help) will come across this message and will be able to exactly.
As a reminder, to modify the announcement of your answering machine, here is the approach to follow: on Android, compose the number of your answering machine (666 for Free, 888 for Orange, 123 for SFR). Call this number from your phone (if you still have a little network), then choose the “Modify the Home” option. On iPhone, open the “phone” app, go to “messaging” then “ad” and select “Personalized”, to be able to record your ad, then validate.
Other useful tips in an emergency: before any outing, always share your route with a loved one. Take the habit of activating geolocation on your phone. Take an external battery and an emergency kit. And remember to download a gendloc type app, which allows you to send your GPS position to the police in one click. But if nothing works and you are alone, this simple message on your answering machine may well save you.
