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*BE ALERT*/Smart911 – Have you signed up?

 

Earlier this year the Tri County Office of Emergency Management (Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Emmet) introduced a community emergency notification system.  This system is a notification tool that public safety officials can use to inform residents and businesses.  It is a FREE service, intended to notify you quickly if needed.

Using landline/cellular telephone, email and SMS text you can opt in and receive severe weather information, urgent community alerts, and school notifications that require immediate action.

In addition to the *BeAlert* notification system, the Smart911 was introduced.  Smart911 is a new service in the community that allows you to create a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com that includes details you want the 9-1-1 center and public safety response teams to know about your household in an emergency. When you dial 9-1-1, your Safety Profile automatically displays to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send responders based on up-to-date location and emergency information. With your Safety Profile, responders can arrive aware of many details they would not otherwise know. Fire crews can arrive knowing exactly how many people live your home and where the bedrooms are located. EMS personnel can know family members’ allergies or specific medical conditions. And police can access a photo of a missing family member in seconds rather than minutes or hours, helping the search start faster.

I have updated my families profile for several reasons.  I have an autistic son who may act agitated or frightened by first responders, or may run from the scene and felt it was important for anyone who enters my home during an emergency to be aware of that.  We also have several pets that I would want first responders to be aware of.  Also – we have an older home with a very narrow staircase to my children’s upstairs bedroom, I would rather first responders be prepared for that ahead of time rather than discovering on scene.

It took me about 30-45 minutes to fill out my family profile.  You can add pictures, a map/layout of your home, specific details about medical issues for each family member, and designate emergency contacts as well.  For me I consider it time well spent.

Please check out this free service here, Tri County Emergency Management System.  All it takes is a little time, and that time could help save someone’s life.  – Robyn Rakoniewski