lifeline

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A lifeline is a line or rope used to support a person who is in physical difficulty, or to prevent someone from getting into physical difficulty. For example, a lifeline may protect a person who is at risk of drowning.

Life line also refers to a line on the human palm used in chiromancy (palm reading).

Other uses

The term Lifeline may now be used metaphorically to refer to many different things which draw from this original meaning to some extent. Companies, services, and tv shows often use the term in their name.

Humanitarian / Charity

• Lifeline (Counselling service): an Australian telephone Counselling service, also operating internationally^[1].
• Lifeline is a charity in Serbia supported by Princess Katerina of The Former Republic of Yugoslavia or Serbia.
• Lifeline Radios are distributed freely in Africa and provide targeted access to information and education. The Freeplay Foundation is a non-profit humanitarian organisation^[2].

Medical Services

• Philips Lifeline Medical Alert Service: In the US & Canada "Lifeline" is a private, subscription-based medical alarm service provided by Philips Lifeline (a division of Royal Philips Electronics, which purchased Lifeline Systems, Inc. in 2006). Lifeline Systems was founded in 1974 by Dr. Andrew Dibner. Elderly subscribers wear medical alert devices on the wrist or around the neck, which when activated in the event of an emergency, automatically dial an emergency telephone number for assistance.^[3]
• Community alarm units: In the United Kingdom, Lifeline refers to community alarm units, manufactured by Tunstall Group, which when linked with telecare sensors provide vulnerable people with a means of contacting help via a network of monitoring centres throughout the UK.
• LifeLine Ambulance Service operates non-emergent service to various hospitals and nursing facilities in the metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts area.[3]
• Lifeline Helicopter: In Indiana (USA) four LifeLine helicopters fly for medical purposes within a 150-mile radius of Indianapolis. Air medical transport reaches further.

Telephony

Some telephony devices have a "lifeline" port, powered from the central office rather than locally, so the device can still continue to work in case of power outage.

Some regulatory authorities require telephone companies to offer a minimal service for means tested customers, known as "lifeline" service.^[4] Such a scheme may fall under the purview of a universal service fund.

TV, Books, Music, & Video Games

• Fundraising program: Lifeline is also the name of a short regular BBC Sunday afternoon fundraising programme that asks viewers to help the unaided and reports on the work of various charities in and around the UK. Various presenters have included Cliff Michelmore and Nick Ross.
• Game shows: In the game show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, a lifeline is one of a number of helps available to a contestant who has difficulty with a question.
  • 50/50: The computer takes away 2 wrong answers, leaving one wrong answer and the correct answer.
  • Phone a Friend: The contestant can call one of three prearranged friends to discuss the question with him/her for 30 seconds.
  • Ask the Audience: The audience will have 20 seconds to vote for one of the four answers on their keypads. The results will be shown on a bar graph on the contestant's screen, the host's screen, and the home viewer's television.
  • Ask the Expert: The contestant gets to show the question to a pre-arranged expert (generally a celebrity with specialized knowledge, such as a news anchor) and get a guess at the answer from them.
  • Double Dip (X2): Present on some versions, including the United States. The contestant takes two tries at a question. If the first answer is wrong, the contestant chooses from the remaining three answers, but if the second answer is also wrong, he or she goes back down to the previous safe heaven. The contestant cannot walk away or use anymore lifelines when electing to use Double Dip. In versions where 50/50 and Double Dip are available, the contestant can get past a question freely.
  • Switch the Question: The contestant has the option to switch out an old question for an easier or harder question on some versions. The correct answer is revealed for this question.
• Lifeline, album by Ben Harper.
• Lifeline, album by Neal Morse
• Lifeline, album by Pablo Cruise.
• "Lifeline", song by Papa Roach.
• "Lifeline", a song by 10cc from Bloody Tourists
• "Lifeline", a song by Angels & Airwaves from I-Empire
• "Lifeline", a song from True (Spandau Ballet album)
• Lifeline (video game), an action-adventure video game.
• Life-Line, a science fiction short story by Robert A. Heinlein
• Lifeline, an episode of Stargate Atlantis
• "Life Line", episode of Star Trek: Voyager on television

See also

• Medical alarm
• Lifeline utility

References

1. ^ [1]
2. ^ Lifeline Radios
3. ^ [2]
4. ^ California Utilities Commission Universal Lifeline Telephone Service