How does Garmin Incident Detection Work?

There is arguably nothing more terrifying than being hurt and alone. But being active or exercising is often something we prefer to do independently. So, an active lifestyle does come with some risks, depending on how you like to get out and move. But thanks to smartwatch features like Garmin’s Assistance and Incident Detection, we can mitigate the risk of getting hurt while out for exercise.

GPS is a great safety feature on smartwatches and smartphones alike, and Garmin, a big name in watches and smartwatches, combined mapping with impact and fall detection technology to create their Incident Detection feature.

What is Garmin Incident Detection?

If you do find yourself constantly out on your own due to your active lifestyle or taking part in activities that might put you at a higher risk for injury, there are ways to protect yourself. This is especially true if you own a Garmin Smartwatch. Incident Detection works through their smartwatches and your smartphone’s connection to their fitness app, Garmin Connect- compatible with most Apple (iOS 13 or higher) and Android (7.0 OS or higher) devices, aside from a few exceptions.

Depending on the model, the Garmin smartwatch and your phone work to notify your contacts if you endure a fall during activities. Incident Detection will tell your emergency contacts where you are via GPS. It then gives them instant messaging access to your Connect app. With these features, you can let your emergency contacts know pertinent information about your situation. Do you need medical assistance/an ambulance, do you need to be picked up, and are you injured? Garmin’s safety assistance can quickly address all of these questions.

You need to have Garmin Connect open during your activity and contacts synced with your watch as “emergency” contacts. The process for setting this up is slightly different for each watch model. Once turned on, Incident Detection will automatically pick up on sudden impacts or sudden stoppages in your walking, biking, running, or hiking.

What You’ll Need…

Garmin smartwatches that can make use of Incident Detection include:

• Vivoactive 3 Music, Vivoactive 4
• Fenix 6 Series, Garmin Fenix 7 Series, Garmin Epix
• Forerunner 5, Forerunner 45, 45 Plus, and 55
• Forerunner 245 and 245 Music, Forerunner 645 and 645 Music, Forerunner 745, Forerunner 945 , 945 LTE and 955
• Garmin Lily

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You’ll need a few other things before Garmin devices can help in emergencies:

• A connection to your smartphone via the Garmin Connect app where you store your emergency contact information
• GPS connectivity on your Garmin smartwatch so your contacts know where to find you
• Data and network coverage so Garmin Connect can text or email your friends, family, or partner. Learn more about the Garmin Connect App and how it can not only be useful in emergencies, but also in tracking your fitness activity.
• A list of emergency contacts who can, themselves, receive texts or emails.

Is Garmin’s Incident Detection Worth It?

While there is no question that Garmin smartwatches are a smart investment for fitness enthusiasts of all kinds, you may be wondering if having a device with Incident Detection is worth it. Or if having the feature turned on is worth the effort. Incident Detection on a variety of Garmin’s devices is known to be a bit touchy and to pick up on activities that aren’t necessarily “emergencies,” “accidents,” or “injuries.” But a few false alarms is a small price to pay for the advantage of knowing you’re safe while working out alone.

Garmin’s Incident Detection is a great feature to use for anyone who likes to venture off on their own, whether it be for bike rides, jogs and runs, hikes through the mountains, or walks in the forest. Having something like Incident Detection can make you feel a lot less alone in these situations with the assurance of connecting with loved ones in worst-case scenarios.

Read more about fall detection technology:

• Emergency Response solutions
• How does fall detection work on Apple watches?
• How does fall detection work on Garmin watches?
• How does fall detection work on Fitbit watches?
• How does fall detection work on Samsung watches?
• Fall Detection Solutions for Seniors

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Last Updated on December 11, 2022