Residents can create a “safety profile” with information about themselves and their household that could be useful to first responders in an emergency.
The profiles are part of Smart911, national public safety service, which has been added to the town’s existing 9-1-1 emergency services.
When a resident calls 911, their profile will be displayed sothe 9-1-1 call-taker will have a better understanding of the situation and faster emergency response.
“At a time when seconds count, being able to have the information we need to send the correct response teams to the correct location during an emergency will save time and ultimately lives,” said Watertown Police Chief Edward Deveau. “The safety of our community is top priority and this is a way in which we can utilize technology in order to ensure we are offering the highest level of protection to all of our residents.”
Residents can create their Safety Profile online at www.smart911.com for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 and response teams to have in the event of an emergency.
First responders can be aware of many details they would not have known previously. Now fire crews can arrive at a house fire knowing how many people live in the home and the location of bedrooms, EMS can be advised of allergies or specific medical conditions and police can have the photo of a missing child in seconds rather than minutes or hours.
“When you call 9-1-1, you may be having the worst day of your life, and in that moment even the most basic details can be difficult to communicate,” Deveau said. “By creating a Safety Profile before an emergency happens you are ensuring that we will have the information we need to help you even if you can’t effectively communicate.”
The profile can include information about people’s home and their work. In Massachusetts Smart911 is available in Milford, Framingham, Medford, Blackstone, Stoughton, Somerset, Everett and Chelsea.
The Watertown Police encourage Watertown residents to sign up for Smart911 today to have their information immediately available to 9-1-1. Smart911 is private and secure, is only used for emergency responses.