Newtown is First in Connecticut to Implement Rapidly Growing Smart911 for Enhanced Public Safety

NEWTOWN, Conn. and FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Oct. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, during a press conference at the Newtown Municipal Center, First Selectman E. Patricia Llodra announced the town is the first in the state to join Smart911, a national safety database, to provide enhanced public safety services to all citizens. Smart911 allows citizens to create a free Safety Profile for their household that includes information they want 9-1-1 to have in the event of an emergency. Then, when a citizen dials 9-1-1, their profile is immediately displayed to call takers, allowing for a better understanding of the caller and their emergency.

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"We are extremely proud to offer this lifesaving service to our community," said First Selectman Llodra. "By allowing our citizens to provide vital details to our response teams prior to an emergency, we have the ability to positively enhance our response times, and ultimately, the outcome of the situation."

A Safety Profile can be created anytime by logging on to www.smart911.com. It can include all family members and photos, information on medical conditions and disabilities, home and vehicle details and even pets. The information contained in a Safety Profile can be relayed to response teams in the field, enabling them to have a better understanding of the situation.

"What citizens may not realize is that we don't usually have a lot of information when we are responding to a call," said Police Chief Michael Kehoe. "If a citizen is unable to speak, or often times, too emotional to remember even the simplest of details, a Safety Profile can provide that information." For example, a photo of a child can give police a timely advantage in the event of a missing child, fire crews can have information on how many people reside in a home and where their bedroom locations are, and EMS teams can be made aware of allergies or pre-existing conditions that may affect treatment on scene.

Smart911 is a nation-wide service that is private, secure and locally funded. With service activated in 23 states and over 300 municipalities, anytime a citizen dials 9-1-1 across the country and their call is answered by a local Smart911 supported center, their profile will be available, bringing additional peace of mind to travelers.

Smart911 is provided by Rave Mobile Safety, the trusted software partner for campus and public safety. It is endorsed by leading public safety and health officials throughout the U.S., as well as advocacy groups. In recent months, it has been adopted in communities from Florida to Washington state, with Arkansas announcing the first statewide deployment and Washington, D.C. also launching Smart911.

"Newtown has demonstrated a great commitment to public safety for their citizens," said Tom Axbey, president and CEO, Rave Mobile Safety. "Municipalities across the country are realizing how detailed information can dramatically improve emergency outcomes, and as this public/private partnership expands, we can look forward to serving more citizens in more states."

About Newtown Emergency Communications
Newtown Emergency Communications Center (NECC) dispatches police, fire, and EMS for the Town of Newtown. NECC answers all 9-1-1 calls for Newtown's Emergency Services. NECC is located at 3 Main St. in Town Hall South. It is staffed 24/7 by two dispatchers. In 2011, NECC answered 8,080 emergency 9-1-1 calls. NECC has also recently been awarded partnership status with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and APCO.

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 RaveAlert, RaveGuardian, 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 www.ravemobilesafety.com.

Contact:
Marty Querzoli
Davies Murphy Group
[email protected]
(781) 418-2433

SOURCE Smart911