LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas State Fair has arrived, and it's been an exciting time! From the food to the people to the rides, there's something for everyone to enjoy.
For Scooter Korek, who helps run the fair rides, his favorite is definitely the rides.
"Absolutely it is, and if you go on it you know you're going fast," he said, smiling. "This is our 17th year and 45 years for me."
After a lifetime at the fair, he knows how fast those rides can go. When you're on some of the faster rides, you may be scared at the moment, but forget about it when you get off.
What doesn't forget that motion though, is your iPhone.
"iPhone 14 has a crash detection feature that would automatically dial 911 in the event the owner is in a crash," Juana Green, director of Little Rock's 911 center, explained.
While you may be headed to the State Fairgrounds for some fun, the dispatchers are geared up for a potentially busy week.
"We're just kinda prepared for those unexpected, accidentally dialed 911 calls," Green said.
That "crash detection" feature is meant to keep you safe in the event of a car crash or collision, when you're unable to call 911, by calling authorities for you.
The only issue with this is that the roughness of rollercoasters is making the iPhone think it's been in a crash.
"I think it was like 20 seconds," Green said. "If the owner didn't disconnect, or anything, it will carry that call all the way through to 911."
It's a problem that's been popping up across the country, as people head to other state fairs and amusement parks.
It's a great feature if you're in a car crash, but it might not be at the fair.
That's partly because you're not actually hurt, but also because dispatchers don't know what's happening if you don't answer.
"You know, it can be from the least severe to the most severe thing," Green said. "We just always want to be prepared to be available to take those types of calls, and relay that information to get the right responses there quickly."
Green said that even with the risk of increased calls, they've got plenty of people to keep you safe.
As you prepare to head to the state fair, the choice of whether or not to keep the feature on is up to you.
Either way, Green said that they're ready for anything.
"So either way, however they choose to operate their iPhones, it's good," she said. "If we get the call, we're going to do what we're here to do."