Smart watch erroneously dispatches police to Rossland
By Rossland Telegraph
On Saturday, Dec. 10 at 9:53 a.m., a frontline Trail and Greater District RCMP officer received an emergency alert from a smart watch which stated that its owner had been in a severe car accident, in Rossland, according to RCMP Sgt. Mike Wicentowich.
“The GPS coordinates were provided as part of the message to police,” Wicentowich said. “Officers and EHS conducted extensive patrols for the alleged motor vehicle incident; however, the search turned up empty. Additionally, first responders did not receive a report of a motor vehicle incident in the Rossland area.
“RCMP officers later learned that there is a new feature offering automatic alerts from cell phones and smart watches when a motor vehicle incident is detected. The investigating officers concluded that someone may have fallen while skiing at the local resort and the fall triggered the severe car accident alert.
“Please be aware if your cell phone and smart watch provide this service, and notify the police if it triggered accidently.”
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