Image Credit: FACEBOOK/Vernon Search and Rescue
February 24, 2024 - 11:30 AM
Revelstoke Search and Rescue has recently gone to three false alarms because of a feature on Apple Watches and iPhones.
iPhones and Apple Watches have a crash detection feature that gets triggered when the device stops moving abruptly, like in a car crash. The problem is the feature gets triggered any time the device stops abruptly, like when a snowmobile comes to a quick and controlled stop.
In the past month search and rescue crews have been dispatched to three calls made by the crash detection feature in the Revelstoke area.
In each case of the false alarm from the crash detection feature the owner of the device was either unaware of the feature or had their device in a place where they couldn’t hear the alarm going off prior to the crash alert being sent out.
This feature has caused false alarms all around B.C. in the past.
READ MORE: B.C. search and rescue teams brace for more Apple iPhone false alarms
The feature is on iPhone 14 or newer models with iOS 16 or newer, and Apple Watch Series 8 or newer, Apple Watch SE, and Apple Watch Ultra or newer with watchOS 9 and newer.
When the crash detection feature is activated devices get an alert with an option to call emergency services or dismiss the alert, but if the alert is active for 20 seconds without being dismissed it automatically calls emergency services.
Click here more information about the feature and how to turn it off.
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