Everything goes wrong in Robert Næss’ escape.

On the Friday after a holiday in the South, Nordea investment director Robert Næss was ready to get back to work. Maybe a little too obvious.

While running out of Bergen, Næss slipped around a corner, and landed on his chest right on the edge of the wall. Several ribs were fractured, and one lung was broken, he told VG.

– I’m on holiday, so I’m very motivated to run. I really wanted to run fast that day, the 59-year-old told VG.

A collapsed lung and broken ribs

The journey started at seven in the morning, and a few minutes later he was lying on the ground.

– It hurt a lot, I had shortness of breath, and immediately realized that my lungs were damaged, because I had it a few years ago, says Næss.

He is an avid runner, and has run this particular course several times. Still, that’s wrong.

Due to breathing problems and severe pain, Næss could not take out his cell phone to call an ambulance. But on his arm he has an Apple Watch.

It will automatically detect if you have fallen, and will start beeping if the accident is not over. After a while, he alerted emergency services.

– I didn’t wait for it to ring, I immediately pressed the side button and the phone started ringing. It could be that I missed the call, because over time it gets automated, but I called anyway.

He continued:

– I also listen to podcasts, so I get the sound directly to the airpods. I immediately contacted them.

Save lives

Næss lay on the ground for more than 15 minutes, and saw several cars pass by without helping. He said he couldn’t take out his cell phone to call himself.

– That watch saved my life. I didn’t have a chance to move, that’s important. Some cars passed without asking. Of course, it’s possible that no one saw me. There were more than 100 cars passing by, but I could hardly see them. It’s not easy to stop there either.

15 minutes after Næss contacted emergency services, they were on the scene. Then go straight to Haukeland hospital.

– I think I’m the first in the trauma unit. They check everything. There they confirmed his lung had collapsed, and they found broken ribs, plus various abrasions on his face and legs.

Næss said things would be crucial without the clock. His lungs were keeping his heart in place, and it was important for him to get help quickly.

When VG spoke to him on Friday night, things were looking up.

– Now I have been given painkillers, so now I feel very healthy. I have met many kind and smart people at the hospital who have helped me a lot.

This is not the first time news like this has been written in the media. In 2019, a man fell on the bathroom floor, and a smartwatch alerted emergency services.

At the same time, it also works the other way around. In 2018, a smartwatch triggered a false helicopter alarm.

– Request that people who have personal emergency transmitters familiarize themselves with their use to avoid unnecessary use of rescue resources, wrote HRS Sør-Norge on Twitter at the time.

Næss went on to say that he would be extra careful on the aforementioned corners next time. First, he had to recover.

VG has contacted AMK and Oslo University Hospital to find out whether such incidents are common. Neither the hospital nor AMK could respond over the weekend.