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First responders in Colorado’s mountain towns are receiving wave of unfounded texts for help from satellite-enabled iPhones

People are seen working at an emergency call center.
Hugh Carey
/
The Colorado Sun
A 911 dispatcher, Eric Betts, fields an emergency call at the Summit County 911 Center, Friday, Dec. 23, 2022, in Frisco.

The text landed at Grand County’s 911 dispatch center Friday afternoon.

“Trapped by fire” it read, pinging a location near the remote Meadow Creek Reservoir.

The 911 text from an Apple iPhone came through the company’s new satellite technology, which enables users out of cellphone range to use passing satellites to send text messages.

“We have not had one of those before, so we triggered a pretty healthy response,” said Grand County Sheriff Brett Schroetlin, who rallied his search and rescue team, fire department, law enforcement and emergency services 40 minutes up a rural dirt road to the reservoir.

And there was no fire. Or anyone needing help.

At the same time Friday, several other 911 dispatch centers across the state got similar texts.

To read the entire story, visit The Colorado Sun.