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Why I’m signing up for Alexa’s Emergency Assist, and what Steel Magnolias has to do with it

Amazon’s new Alexa feature is a game-changer for families with young children and older people living alone.

Written by Maria Diaz, Staff Writer on

Alexa Emergency Assist will be supported on every Echo device, from the oldest Echo speaker to the newest Echo Show 8 (pictured).

Maria Diaz/ZDNET

Do you know what happens if you tell Alexa “I’m scared” several times in a row? The virtual assistant will respond empathetically and tell you to call 911 in an emergency. But what if you or someone else at home needs help and you’re not close to a phone? What about people who don’t have a phone or kids who are too young to know your address?

A newly announced feature coming to Alexa named Emergency Assist can help. This feature works similarly to Alexa Guard, but it’s not meant to replace it. It’s a 24/7 emergency response service that works for anyone with an Echo device at home, and it’s compatible with all Echo speakers and Echo Shows. Saying “Alexa, call for help” will prompt the voice assistant to start a call with an agent who is capable of dispatching first responders to the caller’s home.

Also: Everything Amazon just announced: Alexa updates, new Echo Show, Fire tablets, and more

As a mom who’s currently teaching young kids what to do in an emergency, after having to call 911 twice within six months due to medical issues, this feature immediately had my attention. The potential benefit of having a system that can call first responders and direct them to your home — and even tell them what room the emergency might be in, if your device is named after its location in the home — is immeasurable for us.

It could also be a game-changer for older people living alone who fall or otherwise have a medical event when their phone is out of reach.

Alexa Emergency Assist being used — Amazon/ZDNET

Right now, when you ask Alexa to call for help without the Emergency Assist program, the virtual assistant notifies your emergency contact that you might need help. With Emergency Assist, Alexa will start a call to an agent from the device, and will alert up to 25 predetermined emergency contacts that you’ve reached out to the Urgent Response team, and then again when you’re done.

The emergency response team will see any identifiable information you’ve entered into the Alexa app for these purposes, including your address and any applicable gate codes necessary to access your home. The emergency response team will then relay that information to first responders. Users can also enter any allergies to food or medication in the Alexa app, current medical concerns and diagnoses, and medication currently being taken.

Also: Amazon says new Eero Max 7 Wi-Fi device will let you download a 4K movie in seconds

Alexa Emergency Assist will work as a subscription separate from Alexa Guard, Prime, and other subscriptions. It starts out on a limited-time offer of $5.99 a month or $59 a year when it becomes available in the coming months. After the limited-time offer ends, the price will increase — although Amazon hasn’t stated by how much.

I think it’s common for parents to avoid thinking of worst-case scenarios — it’s why we put off making a will and other end-of-life decisions when our children are young. But it’s also important to consider what would happen to your kids if the only parent in the home at any given time collapsed.

Also: The best tablets for kids, according to parents

This is one of those parenting fears instilled in me (thanks, Steel Magnolias), and the reason I am teaching my kids to call 911. But putting in place a system like Alexa Emergency Assist could literally be a life-saving decision.