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Hamilton County first responders hope new service will help save time in emergency situations

Posted at 7:08 PM, Nov 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-11-18 19:08:50-05

HAMILTON COUNTY — When there's an emergency, seconds count and first responders in Hamilton County hope a new service will help save time.

Smart911 allows for dispatchers to see things like your address, pictures of your home, contact numbers for family members, and pass codes for emergency responders to get into your house during an emergency.

Hamilton County recently rolled out the service and hopes it will help save time during an emergency. For residents like Jodi Schwind, they hope the service will help save lives.

"About a year ago my nephew Kyle Plush called 911 twice in an emergency situation in Cincinnati he was not found," Schwind said.

She says the roll out of the new service gives her a peace of mind.

"I would just encourage everyone to take 5 minutes to download the app or go to the site and just enter basic information about your family," Schwind said.

Jeff Schemmer, the executive director of of Public Safety Communications in Hamilton County, says getting Smart911 rolled out has been a top priority, He says all of the info on the app is hidden unless you call 911.

About 400 people have signed up for the service, according to Hamilton County officials.

You can learn more about Smart911 and sign up for the service here.