Smart 911 system helps first responders in natural disasters and emergencies

With severe storms hitting Mid-Missouri, Abc 17 News talked to emergency officials about a new kind of 911 system that can save lives and also help first responders during a natural disaster.

Osage and Boone are the only counties in the state with the service.

It is a national database in which you can create a safety profile for your household with details that first responders might need to help you in an emergency, for example if you have a severe peanut allergy, have a heart condition or use an oxygen tank.

Boone County emergency officials can only access that information when you call 911. But Osage County emergency officials can do a specific search and send out alerts in the event of a natural disaster or emergency.

“If we know that a tornado is coming through and there could be a severe power outage, we could identify the people that are oxygen dependent or some type of electrical device, we can contact those individuals and alert them of the situation so that they could try to plan for an alternate situation or an alternate means of electricity,” Osage County Emergency Management Director Andrea Rice said.

Rice said the Smart 911 system can conduct a wide variety of searches from homes with generators to homes without transportation. It can also find resources that could help neighbors in an emergency like boat owners in a flash flood. And if a tornado goes through the county, 911 officials can see where you might be so they can find you quickly.

“One of the other criteria that we could query is whether they have the ability to shelter and where their shelter facility would be, whether it would be in their basement, in the interior part of their house, an inner room or maybe even just a shelter in their community or neighbor,” Rice said.

Rice said there are ongoing trainings in the community about the 911 system with emergency responders, schools and businesses. Megan Reichart, the Osage County Special Services Director, recently held a training with the Linn Fire Protection District to talk about how the system can help a person with special needs.

“If we have a young man with a fire and he has autism, we want to let the fire department know that he’s in the house and that way they don’t roll up with lights and sirens, which is something that would trigger increased behavior in an already stressful situation,” Reichart said.

Rice said all information on the safety profiles is confidential and 911 officials can only access your information if you give them permission.

“We really encourage people to sign up with Smart 911 in Osage County. It truly could be life saving,” Rice said.

Osage County is a test site for the system and provides feedback to the national Smart 911 service so it is no cost to the county, Rice said.

If you would like to sign up for Smart 911, you can do so here.