New app mobilises tourists as emergency responders on Danish island

A new app is being tested on the Danish island of Anholt to speed up emergency response, where medical helicopters can take up to 45 minutes to arrive, DR reports.

The island’s population swells from 126 to between 3,500 and 4,500 during the summer. Previously, tourists with medical or emergency expertise could only sign up on a list, but the Trygge Øer app now allows real-time alerts to reach registered professionals—doctors, nurses, midwives, firefighters, police, or paramedics—based on their location.

When an emergency call is made, the app sends a siren alert with incident details. Users can accept or decline, then receive navigation to the scene. In the future, registered users will get notifications when approaching an island.

Carsten Iversen, development chief at the Danish Emergency Management Association, said the app ensures the nearest available responder is dispatched immediately. For example, a midwife could be sent to a premature birth while a helicopter is en route and a local doctor is running to the scene.

Anesthesia nurse Tanja Brøns, a frequent visitor to Anholt, said the app provides reassurance for vulnerable groups. “I can do a lot in those 45 minutes—stabilise a patient, secure airways, administer medication,” she said.

The app, a collaboration between Trygfonden and the Emergency Management Association, will expand to other islands and operate year-round. QR codes for downloads are posted on the Anholt ferry.