Crash detection devices can save lives. However, false alarms pose a problem for emergency services

Emergency services in Nova Scotia say they recognize the value of accident detection technology in improving response times, but false alarms are increasing demand on emergency services.

Two years ago, Apple introduced crash detection for the iPhone and smartwatches. The company says its algorithm, based on crash data and real-world driving conditions, uses accelerator, gyroscope, GPS, barometer and microphone inputs to detect serious crashes.

RCMP Sergeant Natasha Farrell, district commander for Guysborough County, said in one incident, three people were able to get out of a vehicle after emergency services received a notification that an iPhone was failing.

But in many other cases there was no emergency.

“It was an iPhone that fell off the car,” Farrell said. “In one case, in a neighboring unit, a man was playing baseball with his son and the ball hit him in his pocket where his iPhone was, triggering a notification.”

This year, EHS responded to 806 emergency technology calls across the province.

Farrell said most of the 240 Apple outage calls the RCMP received this year in the Northeast and Southwest counties were fraudulent.

“Save These Resources”

“We’re excited about this technology, but the public can help us and maybe save these resources,” she said.

Apple says the automatic connection can be canceled within 20 seconds if assistance is not needed. Farrell said the conversation could also be explained to the EHS officer on the line.

“Police can still contact the person to make sure everything is OK, but the resources of many agencies will not respond as they would in an actual emergency call,” she said.

Apple says the technology has been updated to reduce spoofed calls and the company continues to improve outage detection.

Still, Brett Tetanish, chief of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department, said Apple’s technology unnecessarily ties up emergency resources despite good intentions to save lives.

“Every incident we have heard so far has been false,” Tetanish said. “We have definitely seen an increase over the last few months.”

Brett Tetanish is the chief of the Brooklyn Volunteer Fire Department. (Shaina Luck/CBC)

Tetanish said the department calls on average once a week and it can take up to an hour to respond.

“We are people. We make mistakes. We leave our phones on the roof or on the hood of our car, or we drop them.” he said.

“We haven’t used this technology for a long time and my question is whether it is necessary. I don’t know”.

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