Culpeper County Introduces Smart911 as New Public Safety Service

CULPEPER, Va., May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Culpeper County announced today that Smart911 is now available to all citizens for free to enhance 9-1-1 emergency services. Smart911 enables citizens to create a Safety Profile online that can include any information about their household that they want 9-1-1 to have in an emergency. When an emergency call is made, their profile is immediately delivered to the 9-1-1 call-taker, resulting in far greater emergency response effectiveness and saved lives.

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"Currently when we receive an incoming 9-1-1 call, we have limited information. That is especially true for calls from mobile phones," said the Director of Culpeper County Public Safety E-9-1-1 Communications Center, William Martin. "Having more information to better understand the situation is an immeasurable benefit to our call-takers."

Nationally about 70 percent of calls to 9-1-1 are made from mobile phones, which provide limited location information. Including an exact address in a Smart911 Safety Profile can save time during a response, especially if that address is located in a multi-unit building or development. Information from a Safety Profile can also be passed on to responders in the field for more precise, rapid response.

"Knowing what kind of situation we are walking into can help us to better plan our response to save time and ultimately lives," said Town of Culpeper Police Chief, Chris Jenkins. "I would like to encourage all citizens of our Town and County community to take advantage of the Smart911 technology that is now available. The information that you provide will better inform all first responders, which will assist them in providing the best possible service at the most critical time. Additionally, knowing vehicle information can assist us in locating an accident, and, knowing there are pets on the property can help us provide a safe response for the citizen and our officers."  

Smart911 is a nation-wide service that is entirely private and secure. Citizens can create a Safety Profile at www.Smart911.com, entering any information they want made available about themselves and family members, a residence, even pets. This can include data on medical conditions, disabilities and/or special needs, children's photos, home addresses of cellphone callers, home utility details and emergency contacts. According to the Fire Chief of Little Fork Volunteer Fire & Rescue, Doug Monaco: "Knowing how many people are in a home and where the bedroom locations are can make a significant difference in a home fire."

Smart911 is currently available in 29 states and more than 350 municipalities. Neighboring counties are also in the process of implementing Smart911 for their residents and visitors. Having a Safety Profile has positively impacted emergency outcomes across the country, including a missing child call where the girl's photo and physical description was distributed to deputies while the mother was on the phone with 9-1-1. The girl was recovered safely soon after the call was placed and law enforcement were far ahead of the normal timeframe when responding to the call. 

"By deploying Smart911 and urging citizens to create a Safety Profile, Culpeper County is demonstrating their commitment to delivering the most effective emergency services possible to area citizens," said Tom Axbey, president and CEO, Rave Mobile Safety. "Municipalities are realizing how detailed information can dramatically improve emergency outcomes, and as this public/private partnership expands, we can look forward to increased public safety across the entire country."

About Rave Mobile Safety 

Rave Mobile Safety is the most trusted software partner for campus and public safety. Used by leading institutes of higher education and state and local agencies, the award-winning portfolio of Rave SafeCampus, Rave Alert, Rave Guardian, Eyewitness, Smart911 and SmartPrepare enables millions to feel safe, secure and connected. Rave Mobile Safety is headquartered in Framingham, MA. For more information, please visit http://www.ravemobilesafety.com.

Contact:
William Martin
Director of Culpeper County Public Safety E-9-1-1 Communications Center
(540) 727-7900

Marty Querzoli
Davies Murphy Group
Public Relations for Rave Mobile Safety
[email protected] 
(781) 418-2433

SOURCE Rave Mobile Safety