iPhone Sets Off False Emergency, Sheriff’s Office and Search and Rescue Respond

An iPhone emergency alert sent deputies, firefighters and search and rescue personnel into a remote area of Butte County after reporting a possible vehicle collision. Responders eventually traced the notification to someone navigating the water below Poe Dam.

According to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office, dispatch received the notification at approximately 1:07 p.m. on October 24th, 2026... Deputies, CAL FIRE and Butte County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue personnel responded near Poe Powerhouse Road and Big Bend Dam.

Ground crews and the Sheriff’s Office helicopter searched the area but could not locate a crash.

The helicopter continued searching downstream, where its crew spotted a group of kayakers and rafters. After landing downstream and speaking with the group, responders learned that an individual’s phone had triggered an emergency 911 notification following a hard impact while navigating the water.

What initially appeared to be a possible vehicle collision turned out to be an unintended emergency alert.

The Sheriff’s Office used the incident to remind people that while iPhone emergency notifications can be valuable during an actual emergency, intense outdoor activities can also trigger them.

Officials encouraged people participating in kayaking, rafting and other recreation involving hard impacts to familiarize themselves with their phone’s emergency settings. Understanding how those features work can help reduce unintended alerts while keeping users prepared for a real emergency.

Photo courtesy of the Butte County Sheriff’s Office.