The City of Grove City is First in Ohio to Improve Emergency Response with Smart911

GROVE CITY, Ohio and FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Nov. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mayor Richard L. "Ike" Stage has announced that Grove City is the first location in Ohio to offer Smart911, the national safety service that provides more effective emergency response. Joined by Grove City Safety Director William Vedra, Police Chief Steve Robinette and Jackson Township Fire Chief Lloyd Sheets, Mayor Stage detailed how Smart911 will benefit both citizens and first responders in Grove City.

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"We take great pride in providing the best possible public safety services to our residents, businesses and visitors in Grove City," Stage said. "By embracing this new technology, already proven successful all across the country, we are giving citizens the power to engage and communicate with our public safety agencies in an entirely new way. During an emergency, this can save time and ultimately lives. I am particularly proud that Grove City is the first in the state to bring a new level of public safety to its 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. Responders can be aware of many details they would not have known previously, and now fire crews can arrive at a house fire knowing how many people live in the home and the location of bedrooms. EMS responders can be advised of allergies or specific medical conditions and police can have the photo of a missing child in seconds rather than hours.

"By bringing Smart911 service to Grove City, we are giving local residents and visitors the ability to provide potentially life-saving information to first responders before an emergency, this is especially important in situations when the caller is panicked or unable to speak," said Chief Robinette.

Nationally about 70 percent of calls to 9-1-1 are made from mobile phones, providing 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 detailed, rapid response. Smart911 is a completely secure and free service for citizens and businesses. Information is only made available to 9-1-1 operators when the citizen dials 9-1-1 from a number associated with their Safety Profile.

"Smart911is especially valuable if a caller has a medical condition that may prevent them from speaking. EMS personnel can be dispatched with instructions to prepare for a patient with an inability to communicate," Chief Sheets said. "Smart911 also has the capability of forwarding critical medical information that is provided by a patient to the responding EMS personnel."

Introduced nearly three years ago by Rave Mobile Safety, the most trusted software partner for campus and public safety, Smart911 has been adopted in 32 states and more than 400 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 citizens put more information in the hands of emergency responders prior to an emergency, they are enabling faster and more knowledgeable response for themselves and their families," said Tom Axbey, president and CEO, Rave Mobile Safety. "We applaud Grove City officials and emergency responders for bringing greater safety and peace-of-mind to residents and for leading the way in Ohio."

Residents are encouraged to create their Safety Profile with Smart911 today 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. Visit www.smart911.com to create your online safety profile. You have the opportunity to include information and photos on household members, pets, medical disabilities, allergies and more.

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, Smart Data Connect 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.

Media Contacts:
City of Grove City
William Vedra, Safety Director
614-277-3002

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

SOURCE Rave Mobile Safety