Boise County Sheriff's Office sees surge in accidental 911 calls due to smartwatches
BOISE COUNTY, Idaho (CBS2) — The Boise County Sheriff's Office issued an advisory due to a significant increase in 911 calls triggered by the fall detection feature on smartwatches.
This feature automatically contacts 911 if a fall is detected, providing a one-minute window for cancellation before the call is placed. However, many users, especially in winter attire, do not notice or deactivate the alarm in time, resulting in unintentional emergency calls.
The sheriff's office says its dispatch center received an alarming number of such calls, primarily from the Bogus Basin ski area. Each incident requires the same response and resource allocation as a genuine emergency, and this influx of calls potentially diverts resources from them.
The sheriff's office urges the public to familiarize themselves with their device's settings and help spread awareness about this issue.
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