Mayor Weissman Announces Availability of Service that Makes Emergency Responders More Effective
Mayor Andrew Weissman announces that Culver City is the first location in the state to offer Smart911, the rapidly expanding national safety service, for more effective emergency response.
Joined by Police Chief Donald Pedersen and Fire Chief Christopher Sellers at a press conference at the Culver City Police Station, Weissman discussed how the City is leading the way with technology that opens up direct communication between public safety and the citizens they serve.
"Smart911 will allow both our 9-1-1 call takers and emergency responders to have more detailed information about a citizen in need, leading to faster response times and ultimately more lives saved," said Weissman.
"I am proud of our city for taking the initiative to explore the opportunities available to us through technology in order to provide better services to our community."
Smart911 allows citizens to create a Safety Profile for their household that includes any information they want 9-1-1 and response teams to have in the event of an emergency. When a citizen makes an emergency call, their Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send the right response teams to the right location with the right information.
Fire crews can be aware of such things as how many people live at a home and the location of bedrooms. EMS can know about specific conditions for fast, precise medical treatment. And because profiles can contain photos, in the event of a missing child, police can gain an advantage, receiving critical information in seconds versus hours.
"At the time of an emergency, a number of circumstances can inhibit a caller's ability to give us the information we need to assist them; many are often too panicked to remember details as simple as their address," said Chief Pedersen. "Smart911 allows our 9-1-1 call takers to have all of those vital details immediately in the event the caller cannot communicate.
“In addition, our officers can approach the scene of an emergency knowing more about the person, their home and even their pets, enabling greater officer safety. This service will help protect not only our citizens, but also our responders."
"Our goal is to provide the best possible service to our community, and I think Smart911 does just that," said Chief Sellers, speaking about the benefits to both the Fire Department and EMS services.
"This is an innovative approach to enhancing public safety. Smart911 will provide our community with a greater sense of security in knowing our first responders have the information they need to save their lives."
Introduced less than two years ago by Rave Mobile Safety, the software partner for campus and public safety, Smart911 is available in 29 states and more than 350 municipalities. It has been credited with positively impacting emergency situations across the U.S., including a missing child case in Arkansas, and saving lives, such as a heart attack victim in Nashville.
"When people call 9-1-1 and can't speak, the information that is available to 9-1-1 on that incoming call is limited, often only to a phone number and general location," said Tom Axbey , president and CEO, Rave Mobile Safety.
Residents are encouraged to create their Safety Profile with Smart911 to have their information immediately available to 9-1-1. Smart911 data is private and secure, is only used for emergency responses and available to the 9-1-1 system in the event of an emergency call.
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