Stearns Co. sheriff asks residents to check Apple Watch settings due to recent notifications

Authorities in Stearns County are asking residents to check their smart device settings due to recent notifications that have been sent.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says it has recently received several alerts about a crash or fall. However, when deputies respond to the GPS coordinates provided by the notifications, nothing is there.

The sheriff’s office says it believes a majority of the notifications are coming from Apple products like the Apple Watch or related devices, which can sometimes perceive winter activities — such as snowmobiling, sledding, tubing and other events with sudden stops, quick turns or rough terrain — as a fall or crash.

Authorities are asking citizens to check their device settings if participating in those activities, so an inadvertent emergency call isn’t placed.