https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Public Safety


Smart911

News

Smart911 emergency profiles provide first responders with more information, faster

Smart911 emergency profiles provide first responders with more information, faster

  • Written by Andrew Castillo
  • 19th May 2022

Since the first full time fire department was established in Cincinnati in 1853, emergency responders have raced into unknown scenarios with limited advance information when the firehouse bell rings—until now.

Among the many advancements of next-generation 911 dispatch systems, Smart911, an app developed by Rave Mobile Safety, automatically displays resident profiles during an emergency—including details like medical or mental health notes, such as a child with autism, pets living in the residence or the specific location of a building’s electrical box—giving them a better understanding of what to expect before they arrive.

“We use this on a daily basis,” said Joel Vetter, chief of fire rescue services at Suffolk County Fire in New York, highlighting the ability to open a live chat box with those who text 911 and geographical cell phone locating as some of the most utilized features offered. The chat feature lets dispatchers triage calls, contact friends or family members and, if appropriate, connect callers to other agencies that can best meet their needs (if they’re not experiencing a true emergency situation).

As an example, Vetter recalled responding to “a silver alert last year—the son of the person was actually a paramedic in our system,” he said. “Within 30 minutes, they were able to find his father, who had wandered,” via geolocation.

In his coverage area of around 1.5 million people, with around 42,000 fire and EMS calls per month, Vetter said about 56,000 profiles have been set up by residents. While at first glance that might not seem like a great percentage of the region’s population, he noted that profiles are created based on households as opposed to individual people.

“My family profile is one of those,” he said. “It’s my house, a family of six; it’s my parents across the street.” In total, 35 people, with phone numbers and other pertinent details added, are linked to Vetter’s profile.

Smart911 profiles are created voluntarily by residents. They can also be created by visiting health care workers or mental health organizations on behalf of at-risk patients. A description on the app’s website describes that, if a user calls 911, the Smart911 system recognizes the phone number “and automatically displays your profile on the screen of the call taker who receives your call. At a time when you may be panicked, or unable to communicate, or it could be unsafe to communicate, Smart911 ensures that the details you would need to tell 911 are immediately available in the event you cannot verbally provide them.”

Since the start of the pandemic, Vetter noted they’ve increased the number of subscribers by around 20,000 people through a concerted educational effort. Electric bills, for example, include a pamphlet on the importance of creating a profile. 

“We have really partnered,” Vetter said, noting, “COVID has allowed us to tear down some of those walls.”

In his career. Vetter says he’s seen huge strides taken in the emergency management and telecommunication field. Smart911 is a good representation of the power that modern technology can provide to fire responders. 

“In my 30 years of doing this, I remember when people would refer to rolodexes,” Vetter said. “The system has come (along) in a way that now we’re able to integrate in so many different components.”

Tags: homepage-featured-1 homepage-featured-3 homepage-featured-4 News Public Safety News Public Safety News

Most Recent


  • Amid an unprecedented increase in federal spending, cities and counties stand to benefit from partnerships
    The so-called “American dream” of upward mobility has more or less stagnated: Today, a little more than 40 percent of children raised at the bottom of the income ladder remain there as adults, according to Pew Charitable Trusts, and only half grow up to earn more than their parents. This data points to a concerning […]
  • Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
    Infrastructure highlighted by city leaders as top priority in analysis of 60 mayoral addresses
    After two years of ping-pong lockdown orders, mask mandates, unprecedented vaccine drives and economic uncertainty, cities across the United States are beginning to emerge in the pandemic’s aftermath, and they’re prioritizing infrastructure, according to a report published Wednesday by the National League of Cities (NLC).  “The new normal, as we now understand it, is here,” […]
  • FirstNet Authority CTO highlights coverage-extension efforts as initial Band 14 buildout nears completion
    With AT&T almost done deploying the initial contracted FirstNet 700 MHz Band 14 infrastructure, the FirstNet Authority increasingly is focusing on solutions that will let public-safety users access the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) when outside of terrestrial system, according to FirstNet officials. FirstNet Authority CTO Jeff Bratcher said that NPSBN contractor AT&T repeatedly has […]
  • Cities Connecting Children to Nature initiative adds 15 new cities to program
    Researchers have correlated access to nature with positive impacts like lower stress and anxiety, leading to higher academic achievement, increased emotional learning, stronger social connections, better self esteem, and a greater sense of environmental stewardship. But in today’s built environment, where concrete and brick dominate landscapes, nature is often a car drive or train ride away—and […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • MSPs
    The MSP downstream cyberthreat paradox: Understanding the city and county connection
  • Report: Nearly 95 percent of America's mayors face harassment, threats and violence
  • Victims of Surfside condo collapse settle for nearly $1B in class action lawsuit
  • Video: Axon drone demonstration at IWCE 2022

White papers


How to Assemble a Rockstar Website Redesign Steering Committee

7th June 2022

Hand Hygiene: Compliance Matters

23rd May 2022

What it Takes to Build a Winning Esports Program

23rd May 2022
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Report: Local and state governments are facing a retention crisis; the worst could be yet to come dlvr.it/SSnmS7

24th June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Amid an unprecedented increase in federal spending, cities and counties stand to benefit from partnerships dlvr.it/SSkGBn

23rd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Governments using technology to harness data and improve decision-making dlvr.it/SSk3H0

23rd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Infrastructure highlighted by city leaders as top priority in analysis of 60 mayoral addresses dlvr.it/SSgBck

22nd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Oklahoma City puts the focus on employees when implementing changes in office technology dlvr.it/SSfyns

22nd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

We want to hear from you! Please take this brief survey and let us know how your organization is managing your budg… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

22nd June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Buying smart solutions: Technology is now part of (almost) every government purchase dlvr.it/SSbj3Z

21st June 2022
AmerCityCounty

Amid tech labor shortage, outsourcing digital services could provide relief dlvr.it/SSbj23

21st June 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X