Thanks to the smartphone, authorities can alert people in a certain area in a much more targeted way, for example in the event of a missing person or robbery. In addition, local residents keep each other better informed through their own 'neighbourhood watch'. Which ten SOS apps should not be missing on your smartphone?
NL-Alert
The NL-Alert function is already set as standard on many smartphones. If a major event takes place in your area, you will receive a text message on your mobile. This service does not work via an app or text message, because the text message is sent via cell broadcast. This works even if your carrier's network is congested. Here we explain how to set it up on your smartphone.
1 AMBER Alert (Android, iOS and Windows)
AMBER Alert is now the children's alarm in the Netherlands with 2.9 million participants. With this alarm system, the police can broadcast missing messages at both a national and regional level. Of course you sometimes receive push messages from missing children, but the app also has another useful function. This way you add photos and appearance of your own children. In the unlikely event that your child goes missing, you send this information directly to the police.
2 Burgernet (Android and iOS)
When an incident occurs in your area, you will receive a message from the police via Burgernet. This could, for example, be a robbery of a supermarket, in which the investigation team asks people to look out for a perpetrator. The app uses the device's GPS location to determine whether you are receiving a Burgernet message. In the main screen you can see whether searches are currently underway and which issues have recently been resolved. It is nice that Burgernet also shares the outcome of every search.
3 112 (Android and iOS)
Although the government has plans to develop a national 112 app, unfortunately it is not yet there. An unofficial application is now available under the name 112 App. Many callers have trouble communicating the exact location to the emergency service. The 112 App therefore always displays the latitude and longitude and automatically switches to loudspeaker (Android only). If available, you will also see the street, zip code and city name appear.
4 24/7 BZ Travel (Android and iOS)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has developed a pleasant app with 24/7 BZ Reis, which you can use to check the current security level of each country. Favorite a country and receive push notifications as soon as the travel advice changes. It is useful that you also request all kinds of background information. This way you know exactly what is not allowed in a certain country and which areas are currently unsafe. BZ Reis stores visited pages offline 24/7, so it is also useful without an internet connection.
5 First Aid (Android and iOS)
The first aid app tells you exactly what to do in the event of an accident. After opening the app, you must first enter the most important telephone numbers. In the unlikely event that you yourself become involved in something, bystanders will know who to call. The main menu indicates through spoken instructions in which situations you may be able to provide first aid, such as unconsciousness or a burn. If necessary, you can see where the nearest first aid station and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) are located. You can also call 112 directly, with the app showing the current address.
