What if there is a fire, a medical emergency or a child goes missing? When you dial 9-1-1, you’re panicked and even the simplest of details like an address or medical notes can be hard to remember. Beaufort County public safety officials announced today there is a new service in place to provide this information to dispatchers as soon as a 9-1-1 call is placed. Smart911 is a national service that allows citizens to create a free Safety Profile for their household that includes any information they want dispatchers and first responders to have in the event of an emergency. If that citizen needs to dial 9-1-1 their Safety Profile will immediately display on the dispatcher’s screen, saving valuable time in response to the emergency.
Citizens can visit www.smart911.com to sign up and create a free Safety Profile for their household, providing information such as the names and photos of family members, health conditions, medications, pets in the home, vehicle details and emergency contacts. All information in each profile is voluntary and each household can determine what details are important to include.
Smart911 will give dispatchers the ability to send the appropriate response teams to the right location with more information. Examples of situations in which Smart911 can assist include:
- If a call is made from a mobile phone, a Safety Profile can provide an address which will allow first responders a location to respond to, even if cell service is poor or the call is dropped.
- If there is a fire in the home, a Safety Profile can immediately provide details on how to gain access into the building, the number of residents and pets inside, and a floor plan detailing the location of bedrooms and nearest exits.
- During a medical emergency, a Safety Profile can deliver important details on how to treat a patient, ranging from potential allergies to medical conditions such as epilepsy or autism
- In a car accident, the Safety Profile can include vehicle information, the citizen’s medical treatment restrictions and emergency contact details
Smart911 also allows for commercial properties to create a profile for their building or campus at www.smart911facility.com. Anytime a call is made to 9-1-1 from that location, dispatchers will have details such as points of contact, access points and floor plans to immediately provide to response teams.
Mayor Billy Keyersling remarked, “I believe the enhanced smart911 concept and program are a wonderful addition to better serving the county’s public safety needs. We should all be grateful to Sheriff Tanner, the county emergency dispatch team and the many public safety officers and staff who serve the people of Beaufort County.”
Smart911 has been implemented by public safety agencies in 40 states and over 1,500 municipalities. It has been credited with positively impacting emergency situations and saving lives across the U.S.
