La. Residents Use 9-1-1 App to Prep First Responders
The Houma Courier, La.
Sept. 17—In conjunction with National Preparedness Month, Lafourche 911 announced a new mobile app to provide residents better access to the lifesaving benefits of Smart911.
Smart911 allows users to create online profiles that provide emergency information to first responders. The free online safety profile allows you to add whatever information you want, including home, work and school addresses, emergency contacts and vehicle descriptions.
Thanks to a new mobile app, Lafourche Parish residents can now download Smart911 to share and receive information needed in an emergency, Lafourche 911 spokesman Gary Foret said.
Using the mobile app, users can create safety profiles featuring any information about their household that they want first responders to have in the event of an emergency, Foret said. When a family member makes an emergency call, their safety profile automatically pops up on the 911 dispatcher's screen, allowing help to be sent more quickly and efficiently.
The app also provides enhanced functionality by sending targeted alerts based on the user's location, Foret said. Smart911 app users will receive the highest priority National Weather Service alerts such as tornado, flash flood and severe thunderstorm warnings based on their real-time locations.
"Smart911 has proven to be lifesaving, and the addition of the app means more residents can participate and be better prepared in an emergency," Foret said. "Every resident of Lafourche Parish should download the Smart911 app today. It could save your life."
Users who previously did not have home internet access or a computer can register from their mobile devices using the new app, Foret said. Current Smart911 users can access their safety profiles using the app and provide quick and easy updates.
Safety profiles can be created using the app, which includes verified phone numbers, update-able information for dispatchers and photos.
To download the app, search "Smart911" in your mobile app store or text "Smart911" to 67283 to receive a download link.
