Database to Provide More Information to 9-1-1 Dispatchers
JESSICA LIPSCOMB, Naples Daily News (Florida)
COLLIER COUNTY – An online network newly opened to Collier County residents will allow 911 dispatchers to see a caller’s photo, address and information like allergies and medical complications, if the caller chooses to create a profile.
Those who live in Naples and unincorporated Collier County can create a profile with Smart911 at www.Smart911.com. From there, locals can punch in details about their medical history and provide information about what pets are kept at the home, which floor they live on and how to get into their neighborhoods.
Those notes could help first responders get to the scene faster and with a fuller picture of the person’s emergency, Sheriff’s Office officials said.
“This information will immediately give the call taker a more complete understanding of the situation at hand,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said in a statement. “For the person calling 911, it removes the stress of trying to recall information and relay it to the dispatcher during an emergency.”
The profiles and photos can also be used to help law enforcement in the case that someone goes missing. Another feature allows dispatchers to initiate text messaging with a hearing-impaired person, according to a news release.
Both the Sheriff’s Office and the Naples Police Department will be using the database, the news release said.
“This is another example of the cooperative and continuous strides taken by the Collier Sheriff’s Office and the Naples Police Department to adopt ways and means that promise to provide the highest quality public safety services for all who enjoy our wonderful community,” Naples Chief Tom Weschler said in a statement.
Profiles can be created for free, and the information can be accessed in any U.S. community that also uses the Smart911 system.