Local crash survivor meets with dispatcher and first responders who helped save his life

CASS COUNTY, Mich. -- Jeff Freed, a survivor of a crash, reunited on Tuesday with the dispatcher and first responders who rescued him from a burning vehicle earlier this summer. The luncheon, organized by RapidSOS, provided Freed, his wife, and his parents with an opportunity to personally thank the responders who saved his life and to emphasize the significant role of technology in emergency response efforts.

This crash took place on June 23, 2025, when an automatic iPhone Crash Detection alert supplied Cass County 911 Central Dispatch with precise off-road location data after Freed was found unconscious in a fiery collision.

Dispatcher Janie Myers promptly utilized the enhanced RapidSOS location data, enabling her to dispatch police, emergency medical services, and fire departments within only 13 seconds of receiving the alert.