After a relatively “quiet summer,” Routt County Search and Rescue has responded to at least nine calls for service since the start of hunting season on Sept. 2, with many of the calls proving to be false alarms from new satellite SOS messaging, according to Incident Commander Michael Boatwright.

“There’s no rhyme or reason,” said Boatwright. “It was a quiet summer … You never know when somebody’s going to need help or make a call.”

Of the calls since the start of hunting season, some were related to hunters and hikers getting lost, while others included medical emergencies. Some of the calls were false alarms altogether.

Boatwright added that this summer’s low number of calls doesn’t necessarily correlate to fewer people in the backcountry or recreationists taking extra safety measures.

“Bad things can happen to good people, no matter how prepared they are,” he said.

Since Sept. 2, Routt County Search and Rescue has utilized resources like Classic Air Medical, the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and the Colorado Department of Fire Protection as well as local resources like drones from the Routt County Sheriff’s Office and Steamboat Springs Police Department and personnel from local fire protection districts.

Contributing to the high number of calls is Apple’s new emergency satellite SOS feature, which sends alerts indicating someone needs help to dispatch centers.

First responders, including Routt County Search and Rescue, are then sent to the scene. Often, the emergency alert was sent by mistake, Boatwright said.

“Apple has an issue,” said Boatwright. “People don’t realize they’ve activated their phones, and now with satellite capability, the phone sends out alerts to 911 and then we have to mobilize resources … It’s an incredible waste of resources.”

“We had one last year that said someone was stuck in a cave,” said Boatwright. “We had one last week that said somebody was drowning. All of these things proved to be false alarms. I don’t know what the solution is, but something needs to be done … And until we get Apple’s attention, nothing will be done.”

Routt County Search and Rescue wrote a letter to the company, seeking clarification on how first responders should distinguish between real emergency alerts and false ones.

Boatwright noted that Routt County Search and Rescue is not the only agency struggling with false alarms — it affects search and rescue teams nationwide.

Moving forward, search and rescue teams across Colorado are considering using developed protocols to help eliminate false alarms.

“It’s tough because it has to be really well reasoned and thought out if we’re going to decline somebody’s call for help,” said Boatwright. “There has to be a clear line and it needs to be delineated to the public.”

The agency isn’t sure how specific emergency alerts — such as alerts about being trapped in a cave — are sent to dispatch centers.

“That’s the gist of our email to Apple,” Boatwright continued. “How are these selections being made? Is this a sensor on the phone? Is it a menu that drops down and it’s bouncing around in their pocket? … When (people) are not wanting to activate a 911 call, we’re hoping for a little clarity on that.”

To contact Routt County Search and Rescue in an emergency, call 911.