The Porter County E911 center wants residents to more fully take advantage of its emergency communications technology. E911 Director Debby Gunn told the county commissioners last week that the agreement with Rave Mobile Safety includes a number of tools.
By creating a profile at Smart911.com, residents can share information about medical conditions, emergency contacts and even their pets. Then, if they ever have to call 911, that information will show up on dispatchers' screens.
"This is vital, and it's underutilized in this county, I readily admit," Gunn told the commissioners.
There's a similar version for buildings, where schools or businesses can provide floor plans and key-holder information for first responders.
"And if someone calls from the school, if it's a cell phone that doesn't have the profile but is within the geo-fence of that location, this Rave Facility profile pops up for the dispatcher," Gunn explained. "That's a phenomenal tool."
The system is also what county officials use to send cell phone alerts, when there's a missing child or a disaster.
Commissioner Jim Biggs asked Gunn to come up with ideas of how to get more residents to take advantage of the available tools.
