Summary: WeChat's update links emergency texts to Mini Programs, enabling video calls and location sharing for 120 dispatchers. This speeds up aid, especially within cardiac arrest's 4-minute window. The system, now used across China, improves response effectiveness by 77%.
Source: OT-Team(G), WeChat
On January 27, WeChat announced an update to its "life-saving SMS" function, a feature designed to connect emergency text messages with Mini Programs in critical rescue scenarios.
The capability allows a text message to directly launch a Mini Program, enabling video calls and location sharing during emergencies. In first-aid situations, this reduces the time needed for bystanders to search for help and allows emergency dispatch centers to quickly determine a caller's precise location and send an ambulance more efficiently.
Designed for the Critical First Minutes
In cases of sudden cardiac arrest, the so-called "golden rescue window" is just four minutes. However, the average ambulance arrival time is often around 11 minutes. During those crucial minutes, people who know how to perform lifesaving procedures may not be present, while those on site may lack the necessary skills.
Last month, a man in his 70s in Xitou Village, Conghua District, Guangzhou, suddenly lost consciousness. After the emergency hotline (120) received the call, an ambulance departed from the town health center. Waiting for its arrival would have meant missing the four-minute window.
Instead, the onboard physician, Huang Zhigang, used a "life-saving SMS" to quickly establish a video call with people at the scene. He provided remote emergency guidance, helping them carry out immediate interventions. The patient regained consciousness, and the response stayed within the critical timeframe.
This rescue was made possible by applying WeChat's SMS-to–Mini Program linking capability to emergency medical services. By tapping the link in the message, people at the scene can start a Mini Program video call with medical professionals for real-time guidance. At the same time, the Mini Program synchronizes the patient's location data. Even if callers cannot clearly describe where they are — such as a remote road junction or wooded area — the emergency center can still pinpoint the location and dispatch assistance accurately.
Expanding Nationwide
The system is not limited to Guangzhou. By the end of 2025, 279 emergency centers across China were using technical capabilities provided through the WeChat ecosystem. Among them, 67 centers had enabled video call functions, and 57 cities had adopted the SMS-triggered Mini Program approach. Overall, emergency response effectiveness has reportedly improved by 77%.
When and Why the SMS Is Sent
The "life-saving SMS" is not sent routinely. After someone calls 120, a doctor or dispatcher determines whether the situation requires a video connection. Only then is the SMS link issued. In such cases, recipients can trust the message and tap the link as instructed.
About the "Penguin First Aid Assistant(企鹅急救助手)" Mini Program
Users can search for the Mini Program "Penguin First Aid Assistant(企鹅急救助手)" within WeChat. Different features involve specific data authorizations:
Login: With user consent, the Mini Program accesses the user's WeChat avatar and nickname.
Video emergency call: With authorization, it collects the user's location and phone number and shares them with the response center and nearby volunteers to facilitate rescue.
Text-based emergency call: With authorization, it collects location and phone number and transmits them to the 120 emergency system.
Emergency incident reporting: Users may voluntarily provide their phone number, location, event description, and related photos or videos, which are then shared with responders.
Any of us could one day benefit from this capability. Still, the hope is that you never need to receive such a message.
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