Whoops! Minnesota Sheriff Warns Of Apple Watches Causing Problems For Emergency Services

I am old enough to really appreciate modern technology, and there are many times I wish some of this stuff was around when I was a kid. Everything except social media like Facebook, Instagram, etc. because that most likely would have just gotten me into trouble.

I am so old that I actually had a pager and thought I was the coolest thing around. It was a clear light blue color and yes I hung it backward out of my front pocket. What a dork, and really when you think about it what a pain the backside. If you were not by a phone and got a page from your friends if you were not near a phone you actually had to go to a pay phone to call them back and 9 times out of 10 it was about something totally dumb. So much work for so little reward.

Fast forward to now 2023 and we have smart watches to contend with. I am an Android person all the way, so I do not have an Apple Watch. Even If I did have an I phone and be on that bandwagon I personally am fine with just a smartphone, but I get it they are super cool but recently have caused a bit of a problem for Emergency personnel. Yep, you heard that right, here is what is going on.

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I am sure this has happened everywhere, but for some reason, in Stearns County  Minnesota, they have been inundated with Emergency cell phone messages for "crashes" or "falls" and when traced through GPS coordinates they are coming from Apple Watches.

The sheriff's office said to Bring Me The News:

There is likely a setting on Apple Watches sending this alert when the party wearing it is participating in winter recreational activities such as snowmobiling, sledding, or tubing, and this activity involves a sudden stop, quick turn, traveling over rough terrain or are involved in jumping a snowmobile, which may be perceived as a fall.

Therefore the sheriff's office asks people to check this setting on their watches or similar device before heading out sledding, tubing or snowmobiling. I could see if you are on a snowmobile or 4-wheeler by yourself in the middle of nowhere to maybe keep that option on in case god forbid you did get in an accident.

Apparently, the Apple Watch does indeed have a "Fall Detection" option that gives you the option to notify emergency services in case you did actually have some type of hard fall. Just so you know.