Nicole Brown: Hello, everyone. I'm Nicole Brown, the 911 Director for the San Juan County Communications Authority, or SJCCA. If you're not already familiar with SJCCA, we're the consolidated 911 dispatch center for all of San Juan County. We dispatch for Aztec, Bloomfield, and Farmington Police Departments, the San Juan County Sheriff's Office, Farmington and San Juan County Fire, and San Juan Regional EMS.

As the primary 911 and non-emergency center in our county, we handle roughly to 275,000 to 300.00 calls per year. Today, I'd like to spend a few minutes discussing a service available to you called Smart911. It's a free public safety service that helps emergency responders provide faster, more informed help to our citizens during emergencies.

Every second counts during an emergency, and sometimes callers may be unable to communicate critical information due to panic, injury, language barriers, medical conditions, or simply because they're unfamiliar with their surroundings. Smart911 helps bridge that gap by providing emergency responders with additional information when a 911 call is made. This allows us to make more informed decisions and improve outcomes.

So, what is Smart911? Smart911 is a secure nationwide service that allows residents to create a safety profile linked to their phone numbers. When someone who has created a profile calls 911 from a number registered to it, participating emergency 911 centers can access the information the caller has chosen to provide. This information is displayed to the 911 professionals during the emergency call and can be shared with responding personnel when appropriate.

This service is completely voluntary and free to the public. You can choose to provide a wide variety of information. You can decide exactly what information to include and can update your profile at any time. Some things you can add are names of everyone who lives at the residence, home and work addresses, medical conditions, allergies, medications, any mobility limitations, disabilities or special needs, emergency contacts, vehicle descriptions, pet information, language preferences, and photos.

So, let's walk through a simple example of how Smart911 works during an emergency. Imagine someone calls 911 because a family member is experiencing a medical emergency. When the call comes into the communication center, Smart911 recognizes the registered phone number and displays the caller's safety profile. Instead of spending valuable time gathering additional information, dispatchers already know current medications, mobility limitations, and emergency contact information. This allows dispatchers to focus on the immediate emergency while ensuring responding personnel receive critical information before they arrive. Smart911 has several benefits for dispatchers and responders. Smart911 can improve situational awareness for 911 operators by providing important information that callers may forget to mention or may be unable to communicate.

It's especially beneficial for elderly residents, individuals with disabilities, people with cognitive impairments, non-English speakers, or individuals with chronic medical conditions. Knowing about medical conditions and service animals or other special circumstances before responders arrive can improve safety for everyone involved.

For field personnel, Smart911 can provide valuable context before arrival. Responders may receive information regarding heart conditions, diabetes, seizure disorders, allergies, and the current medications the patient is on. In the case of a structure fire, dispatchers may be able to relay the number of household occupants, the presence of children, any mobility-impaired residents, and pet information.

In fact, a story that sold us on Smart911 when we were looking at this option was a story of a structure fire where the household had a child who was autistic in the home and liked to hide in a closet. When the house caught fire, the mother dialed 911, but passed out due to smoke inhalation. She was unable to relay information about where the child liked to hide to responders, but she had added it in the Smart911 profile. The dispatcher noticed the information and was able to give firefighters the location of the child without them having to do a full search of the home and saved both the mother and the child's life. Photographs and descriptive information can assist responding agencies in searching for missing individuals. Vehicle descriptions and emergency contact information may be available to aid responders in the event of a traffic accident.

One of Smart911's greatest strengths is its ability to improve accessibility. Many individuals face challenges communicating during emergencies. Some examples are hearing impairments, speech impairments, developmental disabilities, and medical conditions affecting communication. By providing information in advance through a safety profile, these individuals can help ensure responders receive critical details even when verbal communication is limited.

A common question with Smart911 is, "Is my information safe?" And the answer is yes. Smart911 profiles are secure and only become available to participating 911 centers when a registered phone number dials 911. The information is not publicly available and is only accessed for emergency purposes. You maintain control over your profile and can update or remove information at any time.

Smart911 empowers residents to take an active role in emergency preparedness. By creating a profile before an emergency occurs, citizens can help ensure responders have the information they need when seconds matter most. Signing up is simple. Residents can visit www.smart911.com. You create a free account and enter the information you wish to share. Register one or more phone numbers to the profile and review and update the profile regularly. The entire process usually takes only a few minutes.

In conclusion, Smart911 is a powerful tool that enhances emergency response by providing dispatchers and responders with valuable information before they arrive on scene. It helps improve situational awareness, supports vulnerable populations, enhances responder safety, and can contribute to better outcomes during emergencies.

Most importantly, it gives residents an opportunity to prepare in advance for situations when they may not be able to communicate effectively. I encourage everyone to learn more about Smart911, share information about the program with family and community members, and consider creating a safety profile. Thank you for listening and for your time. Have a great day.