5 Gadgets That Can Save Your Life

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We often think of our daily gadgets as conveniences — wireless earbuds for listening to music, fitness trackers for monitoring health, or even the smart bulb that lets you change lighting with your voice. These gadgets integrate seamlessly into our daily lives, making menial tasks easier and our homes smarter. But some gadgets are more than just a passing convenience; they're essential tools that can help you improve your lifestyle, track your personal belongings, and in the most dire of situations, save your life. 

There are numerous gadgets purpose-built with this goal in mind, while others become a lifeline when you least expect them. This post will showcase a variety of items from both categories. As explored previously in our coverage of high-tech gadgets worth the price, true value isn't always tied to an affordable price tag, but to how well a gadget serves its purpose. The gadgets explored in this article are a testament to that idea, with verifiable examples of saving lives in real-world scenarios.

If you're an iPhone owner, the Apple Watch is arguably the most convenient Apple gadget that you can buy, right behind the actual iPhone. Its health and fitness tracking, wide support for third-party accessories, and deep integration with the Apple ecosystem make it one of the best smartwatches out there.

The Apple Watch has a lot of features you're probably not even aware of, but Emergency SOS, heart rate monitoring, and Crash Detection are the most important features that make it a life-saving device. These features work reliably to protect people in real-world scenarios, as seen in the story of Amanda Faulker.

Per Hawke's Bay Today, a New Zealand psychiatrist, Amanda Faulker, was alerted to a life-threatening medical condition when her Apple Watch kept bugging her about an unusually high resting heart rate. Eventually giving in to the alerts, she sought medical attention and was diagnosed with leukemia. Doctors said that if she had come in 48 hours later, the situation could have been fatal.

CBS News highlighted another critical story. In Wisconsin, a teenager's Apple Watch alerted authorities to a severe car crash when it automatically detected the collision and called 911. Because of this call, first responders found the driver and were able to provide immediate medical attention. Fire Chief Ronal Molnar stated that the outcome would have been uncertain if not for this call.

These are just two of many real-life examples where Apple's safety features have proven to be essential in moments of crisis.

These tools, commonly known as window breakers, are the perfect example of cheap, reliable gadgets that punch well above their price tag. A car escape tool isn't something you'll need every day, but if you find yourself in a situation where you do, you'll be thankful you have it handy.

The idea is simple: If you find yourself in a crash and can't get out because of failed electronics or jammed doors, break the windows. Popular examples, such as the Resqme, consist of a spring-loaded metal spike that you can press onto your window to break it. This is a compact mechanism that works by concentrating maximum force onto a single point. Many of these tools also feature a hidden blade that serves as a seatbelt cutter.

If you're wondering how effective these tools are in real life, the following story from CBS News might satisfy you. After a terrible crash in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Sam Orbovich wound up stuck in a burning vehicle. People rushed to help, but it was eventually a Minnesota Department of Transportation worker who became the hero. He broke the window of Orbovich's car with a window-breaking tool to pull him out and get him to safety.

On Amazon, you'll find a variety of these tools, and they often come in packs of two for under $20. Not a bad investment for something that can help you live to see another day.

Considering choking is one of the leading causes of accidental death, everyone should be familiar with the Heimlich maneuver and CPR. Both are fundamental parts of first aid that have saved countless lives. However, what do you do if the choking person you're trying to help is a senior citizen, in a wheelchair, or a small child? That's where something like the LifeVac could very well be the difference between life and death.

According to CBS News, in a South Carolina restaurant, Jayne Koehler's 10-month-old baby was choking on a piece of pancake. The mother and father quickly rushed to help, but the situation worsened as the baby started turning blue. Fortunately, a man named Major Hillard was able to help. He rushed to his car to retrieve a LifeVac from his car, and used it to clear the child's airway.

The LifeVac is a straightforward, low-tech, and affordable gadget designed to dislodge airway obstructions. You use it by placing the mask over the victim's nose and mouth, pushing down on the handle to push in air, and then pulling up to create a vacuum that pulls the object out. Given how frightening and unexpected a choking emergency can be, this simple first aid device can be a powerful piece of insurance.

You know a gadget is exceptionally versatile and reliable when its name becomes an idiom. This pocketable multi-tool has been around since 1897, and its simple but ingenious design is just as relevant today. Models like the Huntsman Swiss Army Knife consist of 15 functions. Included tools like the pocket knife, scissors, bottle opener, screw driver, and wood saw make this tool an everyday essential.

Pocket knives in general have a great track record of saving lives. As reported by CBS affiliate WTVR-TV, a paramedic used a pocket knife to cut a boa constrictor away from a woman it was squeezing and biting. In another harrowing situation, Reuters shared a Dominion news-reported story of a New Zealand doctor even amputating a man's leg using a Swiss Army Knife after he was trapped under rubble in the aftermath of a deadly earthquake.

The uses of this knife may not always be glamorous, but they sure are invaluable. There's a reason why NASA includes it in its astronaut survival kit. We also recommend multi-tools in our coverage of must-have gadgets for backpacking trips. 

Compared to more obvious gadgets that come in handy during life-threatening emergencies, a Bluetooth tracker is a bit more mundane. These tiny gadgets, like the Apple AirTag and Tile, are small and effective tracking tools that help you keep track of your belongings. The AirTag uses Apple's Find My network to signal nearby devices (iPhones, iPads, Macs) on the network, which then securely relay that location back to you. Tile works similarly by relying on its own network of Tile users.

In an interesting personal account, Ars Technica's Kevin Purdy detailed how a lost dog wound up on his front porch, and how he used the AirTag attached to the dog's collar to reunite it with its owner. An even more dramatic story comes from ABC News, where an AirTag helped firefighters find a dog that fell into a fast-moving storm drain.

These stories prove that Bluetooth trackers are certainly effective. Many parents put AirTags in their toddlers' backpacks to keep track of them and ensure their safety. You can also find third-party AirTag accessories like AirTag pins or bracelets on Amazon that kids can wear. However, keep in mind that these trackers are not the perfect solution because of occasionally delayed notifications. For those of you looking for tracking beyond Bluetooth, smartwatch devices like the Garmin Bounce offer live location tracking via GPS as well as cellular connectivity.  

The gadgets in this article were selected based on one primary criterion: verified and consistent examples of saving lives. Our first step was to think of gadgets that can be categorized as "life-saving." We conducted research by using reputable news reports and verified first-hand accounts to gather evidence of each gadget's effectiveness in real emergencies. Credible news outlets, such as CBS, ABC, Reuters, and more were used for this research. 

The Apple Watch is particularly at the top of the list because its safety features often don't even require human input. Other than its general functionality, features like Crash and Fall Detection will automatically alert authorities and get in touch with your emergency contacts when you're in a bad car crash or suffer a significant fall. 

Other gadgets, such as the Car Escape Tool and LifeVac, are were added due to their effectiveness in high-stakes yet common emergencies. The Swiss Army Knife follows next because of its versatility. It's more of a jack-of-all-trades survival tool rather than a dedicated emergency device.

Bluetooth trackers are great for finding lost items, but their life-saving capability is often more of a lucky accident than an intended purpose. However, they are undeniably useful if you have pets.