HENNEPIN COUNTY, Minn. — The Hennepin County Sherriff's Office (HCSO) announced it has enhanced the Emergency Notification System and 911 services with the new Smart911 system.
Smart911 is a service available for free to residents in the Hennepin County area. Users can create a digital profile that is automatically displayed to the 911 dispatcher when they make a call.
HCSO Emergency Communications Director Tony Martin said Smart911 Safety Profiles give dispatchers more information about who is calling and from where.
“The information will also give first responders more context to what are often complex, dynamic events, such as a house fire, vehicle accident, report of a missing child, or a medical emergency," Martin said in a press release. "The additional details will help first responders act faster and more efficiently in situations where every second matters.”
Smart911 allows emergency dispatchers to collect more information on the person calling than in a traditional 911 call. They are then able to send out the correct response team to the right location to help the person or people in need, according to the sheriff's office.
Martin added that people don't know when or what conditions they'll be in when they need to call 911 in an emergency so people should be prepared.
"The benefits of this information on a 911 call from a cell phone are immeasurable," Martin said. “Cell phones do not provide an address to the 911 call taker and those are 76% of our 911 calls. These emergency situations are often the worst day of a person's life, and the Safety Profile can speak for someone when he or she might be unable to."
The service is currently available for anyone that receives emergency dispatch services from HCSO. Residents can sign up online and create a profile or download the Smart911 app through the Apple Store or Google Play.
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