Smart911 – ever heard of it?
If not, it’s time I tell you about it and how beneficial the program is.
Smart911 is a free service that allows citizens across the U.S. to create a “safety profile” for a household. The profile includes information residents want 911 to have in the event of an emergency. Sandy Springs participates in the program.
When anyone dials 911 from a phone associated with a safety profile, the profile is immediately displayed to the 911 call taker to provide information that can be used to facilitate the proper response to the proper location. At a time when seconds count, immediately providing 911 with information that could help emergency responders could be the difference between life and death.
When you dial 911 today, the information received by the 911 call center can be limited, depending on what the type of phone you are using. With Smart911, anytime you make an emergency call from a phone registered with your safety profile, the 9-1-1 system recognizes your number and automatically displays your profile on the screen of the call taker who receives your call.
Smart911 provides necessary information you may not be able to tell to the 911 call takers yourself at a time when you may be panicked or unable to communicate or when it could be unsafe to communicate,
Smart911 is available in hundreds of communities across the U.S. Coverage grows every month. To see if Smart911 is currently available through your local 911 center, check out Smart911.com. Even if Smart911 is not available in your residential ZIP code, public safety officials urge you to create a safety profile, because once it is created, if you work, visit or travel through an area with Smart911, your profile can offer valuable details during an emergency.
So sign up for free at www.smart911.com.
Officer Larry Jacobs is the Crime Prevention Officer for the Sandy Springs Police Department. He can be reached directly at ljacobs@sandyspringsga.gov.