Today, City Manager Jay Ash made an announcement that Smart911 is now available to all Chelsea residents. Smart911 is a complimentary service enabling residents to establish a Safety Profile for their household containing any information they wish 9-1-1 telecommunicators and first responders to access during an emergency. Upon calling 9-1-1, the Safety Profile appears instantly on the call taker’s screen, reducing critical time in dispatch and emergency response.
Emergency Management Director Allan I. Alpert stated, “fblikebutton_button” “Smart911 is a great step forward in emergency response and will give us a way to save time and ultimately lives.” He continued, “fblikebutton_button” “When you call 9-1-1, you are not having your best day and even the simplest of details can be difficult to communicate in a time of panic. Now fire, police and EMS can approach the scene of an emergency with vital information from the profile.”
Residents can establish a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com for their household that contains any information they want 9-1-1 and responders to have during an emergency. The Safety Profile automatically displays on the 9-1-1 call taker’s screen when a resident or Smart911 subscriber places an emergency call, enabling responders to have all available information—including details that may not be communicated during the chaos of an emergency. Fire departments can arrive at a house fire knowing the number of occupants and bedroom locations; EMS can be informed of allergies or medical conditions; and police can access a missing child’s photo in seconds rather than minutes or hours.
Police Chief Brian Kyes explained, “fblikebutton_button” “Currently when the City receives an incoming 9-1-1 call, we have limited information. That is especially true for calls from mobile phones. Having more information to better understand the situation is an immeasurable benefit to our call-takers and responders alike.”
Through Smart911, residents and businesses can associate both home and work addresses with mobile phones, which 9-1-1 telecommunicators can forward to responders for more detailed response capabilities. Safety Profiles can also include pet information, vehicle details for accidents, and emergency contacts. All information is optional, allowing residents to decide what details to share.
Acting Chief Robert Houghton noted, “fblikebutton_button” “Knowing if any occupants have a disability or how many people and even pets live in a home, while responding to a fire or other emergency can make our search and rescue efforts more efficient. Additional details such as the location of bedrooms, utility shutoffs and access points can help us to prepare for our arrival even while we are en route to the scene.”
Smart911 operates in 35 states across more than 500 municipalities nationwide and has improved emergency outcomes in documented cases, including a missing child whose photo and physical description were immediately available to 9-1-1 and responders, and a heart attack victim whose medical notes provided life-saving information about his pre-existing ailment. In Massachusetts, Smart911 is already operational in Milford, Framingham, Medford, Stoughton, Blackstone, Somerset and Middleborough.
Chelsea residents and businesses are urged to create their Safety Profile with Smart911 today to ensure their information is immediately accessible to 9-1-1. Smart911 maintains privacy and security, is used exclusively for emergency responses, and is only made available to the 9-1-1 system in the event of an emergency call.
Contact:
Emergency Management Director Allan I. Alpert
617-466-4660