The City of Cincinnati recently announced it has implemented Smart911, a communications tool that will help first responders and call takers in emergency call centers by providing additional information about a situation.
Residents who use Smart911 can devise a “Safety Profile,” a secure description that call takers can see as soon as they receive a 911 call. The profile can be customized by the user to provide the information they feel will best help first responders who will be called to assist them. The contents of the profile can be anything from blood types to languages spoken.
This will enable firefighters to go a fire scene already knowing the number of people and pets in a house, and where the bedrooms are located. Information regarding prescription drugs the people take, any allergies they have, and similar facts will be available to emergency personnel. In the case of the police, they can have a photo of someone who has gone missing in a matter of minutes.
In addition, a call taker answering the 911 line will be able to send a text message to the person calling in, if the person is unable to speak.
The technology is available to Cincinnati residents, who can create Safety Profiles at www.Smart911.com. If a person already has a Smart911 account set up elsewhere, it is not necessary to create another account for Cincinnati. Flyer printing can be used to create informative materials about systems like this.
