Mayor Carlo DeMaria and public safety officials in the City of Everett announced today that they have taken a step forward in public safety by becoming a Smart911 community, with the free service now available to all citizens. Smart911 is a national service that allows citizens to create a free Safety Profile for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 and first responders to have in the event of an emergency.  If that citizen needs to dial 9-1-1, their Safety Profile will immediately display on the call taker’s screen, saving seconds and even minutes in response to the emergency.

“We take great pride in providing the best available resources to enhance safety in our community,” states Mayor DeMaria. “By utilizing this technology, our citizens are now able to give our E911 operators the information they need to better help them during a time of great distress, when communicating even the simplest of details can be difficult.”

Citizens can visit www.smart911.com to sign up and create a free Safety Profile for their household, providing information such as the names and photos of family members, health conditions, medications, pets in the home, vehicle details and emergency contacts.  All information in each profile is voluntary, and each household can determine what details are important to include, as each household is different and therefore the potential rescue needs will also vary.

“When we are approaching the scene of any emergency, we are always looking to gather as much information as possible,” state Police Chief Steven Mazzie, “From knowing the access points to the home, whether there is a pet we need to be aware of when approaching or entering the home or just knowing the name of the person in distress can ensure the safety of our citizens and our officers.”

With over 48,000 residents living in the city and well over 14,000 9-1-1 calls coming into the E911 Dispatch each year, Smart911 will give 9-1-1 call takers the ability to send the appropriate response teams to the right location and with more information.  Examples of situations in which Smart911 can assist include:

If a call is made from a mobile phone, a Safety Profile can provide an address which will allow first responders a location to respond to, even if cell service is poor or the call is dropped.

If there is a fire in the home, a Safety Profile can immediately provide details on how to gain access into the building, the number of residents and pets inside, and a floor plan detailing the location of bedrooms and nearest exits.

During a medical emergency, a Safety Profile can deliver important details on how to treat a patient, ranging from potential allergies to medical conditions such as epilepsy or autism

In a car accident, the Safety Profile can include vehicle information, the citizen’s medical treatment restrictions and emergency contact details.

“It can be very reassuring to know that the information we are receiving en route is coming directly from the person in need,” states Fire Chief David Butler, “Knowing what specific medical issues a person has, or the photos of those we are searching for can greatly enhance our response time and accuracy.”

Smart911 has been adopted in 35 states and over 500 municipalities.  It has been credited with positively impacting emergency situations and saving lives across the U.S., including a missing child case in Arkansas, a heart attack victim in Tennesee and a citizen in diabetic shock in Louisiana.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for Smart911 and create a Safety Profile at  www.smart911.com to ensure 9-1-1 will have access to their information during an emergency. Smart911 is private and secure, and is only made available to 9-1-1 when an emergency call is made.