Smart911™ Enhances Response Times and Effectiveness
Somerset County recently announced that the county is implementing Smart911, a mobile application that can help save critical time during emergency situations. Smart911 provides more accurate location information, and residents can input family, health, and other information to assist first responders in responding safely and effectively.
The free Smart911 mobile app can be downloaded at the App Store or Google Play. In addition to the app, a Safety Profile can be created online at smart911.com.
More than 85% of calls made to the Somerset County Communications 911 system come from mobile phones. When the communications center gets a call from a mobile phone, the ability to identify the caller’s location is limited to a cell tower address, latitude and longitude or any details the caller can provide.
Smart911 links personal cell phone numbers to home addresses and vehicles, which can improve response time. But even if you call from somewhere other than your residence, the technology of the system provides 911 call takers with a greater ability to determine a more accurate location, which could make a difference between life and death in an emergency.
The Smart911 system also allows residents to create a Safety Profile with critical information about themselves and family members in the same household. Information such as the names, ages and photographs of all residents of the home, alternate contact information, a family member’s disability, allergies or chronic illnesses, the location of bedrooms, the number of pets and their dispositions, utility shut-off locations, and more. Residents can provide as much or as little information in their Safety Profile as they deem necessary.
The information in a Safety Profile is completely secret unless there is a 911 call from that phone number then following an emergency response the account is once again secured from any searches. No one, including police or government personnel, have the ability to look at Safety Profiles except during a response to a 911 call.
When an individual makes an emergency call, their Smart911 Safety Profile transmits directly to the 911 call taker, enabling the communications center to share critical details with emergency personnel before they arrive at the scene. For example, firefighters responding to a house fire will have the advantage of knowing how many people and pets live there and who might need assistance getting out of the house. EMS responders will have access to any information you provide about allergies and existing medical conditions. Police will be able to access any photos you include in the profile so they can more quickly locate a missing person and address them by name, such as a child or an adult with Alzheimer’s.
The Somerset County 911 Communications Center currently is the 911 answering point for every Somerset County municipality except Franklin and Warren Townships.
While those municipalities have their own 911 systems that are outside of the county’s network, calls sometimes overflow to the county’s system and the Smart911 data will then be made available. This will also be true for any mobile devices that are registered and are within the county’s network area when traveling and when a 911 call is placed.
In addition, the data will be made available to any 911 center across the nation that also utilizes the Smart911 system if a 911 call is placed while within their jurisdiction. This means that even on vacation, vital life-saving information could be available in an emergency. The current number of agencies across the US is over 1,500 911 centers.
Safety profiles could include critical information that will help responders keep your family safe, including: Information about where you live, what type of structure it is, exterior color, number of floors and bedrooms in the home; Number of people who live there, how to contact them, the ages of individuals, photos of children, etc.; Existing medical conditions of residents with chronic issues, a list of medications and allergies, people with mobility issues and any other conditions that emergency responders should know about.; A list of pets and service animals along with their names to help responders locate them; Emergency Contacts – family and friends who should be contacted in an emergency; Vehicle Information – make, model, license plate numbers, etc.
In addition, photographs can be added to any of the above information categories.
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