If you have created a free Smart911 account, it is important to keep your Smart911 Safety Profile up to date by logging into the account every six months.
Smart911 is a free service used by local law enforcement, medical and fire responders to better serve members of the public during an emergency. Provided the public safety agency participates in the Smart911 program, 9-1-1 call takers automatically receive additional information about citizens calling 9-1-1 via their Smart911 Safety Profile that can be passed on to first responders.
At a time when citizens may be panicked and unable to communicate information clearly – or it could be unsafe for them to communicate with 9-1-1 call takers for an extended length of time – the Smart911 Safety Profile provides details needed by first responders for them to be best prepared for the emergency scenario, they will encounter. Effectively, it could save your life.
What Your Profile Tells 9-1-1 Call Takers
Your profile tells 9-1-1 call takers only what you want them to know. You enter as much or as little information about yourself as you wish – although the more information you can provide about medical conditions, mobility issues, and your blood type can be essential in saving your life. Also, if you have prepared an Advance Medical Directive, it is a good idea to include that on your profile as well.
Families who create a joint profile should include details about every person who ordinarily lives in the property registered to the profile. It can also be beneficial to include details about your vehicles, your pets and the relationship between each individual. Once created, it is important to keep your Smart911 Safety Profile up to date.
Why it is Important to Keep Your Smart911 Safety Profile Up to Date
There are two important reasons why it is important to keep your Smart911 Safety Profile up to date. The first is so that first responders have accurate information about you and your family. If, for example, you move house, it is essential you update your Smart911 profile with your new address. Similarly, if you change your cellphone number or develop an illness that requires medication.
Because of the risk first responders may attend an emergency at the wrong location, Smart911 profiles are automatically suspended after six months of inactivity. Even if nothing you would wish 9-1-1 call takers to know has changed, you must log into your Smart911 account at least once every six months to confirm your details are still the same and keep your account active.
Smart911 does send reminder messages to citizens approaching the six-month mark, but these are only effective if your contact details have not changed. You can reactivate and update your account at any time; but, while your account is suspended, your Smart911 Safety Profile will not be available to 9-1-1- call takers when they answer your emergency call.
Don’t Wait Until it is Too Late – Check Your Profile Today
Due to the nature of how many of us live our lives, we don’t always find time to perform “precautionary” tasks – such as reviewing our Smart911 Safety Profiles. However, it is important to keep your Smart911 Safety Profile up to date in order to get the right information to the right people at the right time. Therefore, take a minute today to log into your Smart911 account and check your profile.
When you have finished checking your profile, set a reminder on your cellphone to check it again in a few months’ time. Although accounts remain active for six months, keeping your profile up to date is a good habit to get into. Hopefully, 9-1-1 call takers will never have a reason for looking at your profile; but if they do, wouldn’t you rather it provided accurate information that might help save your life?
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