Two Bay County Dispatchers Utilize Smart911 to Help Citizens Unable to Safely Communication In an Emergency

For Immediate Release

Two dispatchers are recognized for their efforts to effectively dispatch emergency response during reported home invasions. 

BAY CITY, Mich., April 21, 2016 - Two telecommunicators with Bay County Central Dispatch were recognized for their outstanding efforts to aid two separate 9-1-1 callers during potential home invasions using Smart911, the 9-1-1service aimed at improving emergency response. Assistant Director Michelle Katt presented Telecommunicators, Sally McCaffrey and Jeffrey Whelton, with the SmartSave Award from Smart911 which honors and rewards 9-1-1 call-takers, dispatchers and emergency responders who are able to effectively use the national public safety service to positively affect the outcome of an emergency.

On March 19, McCaffrey received an emergency 9-1-1 call from a 16 year old caller who said she heard two gunshots inside her house. Recognizing it was unsafe to have the caller speak; McCaffrey utilized the Smart911Chat feature to gather pertinent information including the caller’s precise location and emergency contacts. Using this information, McCaffrey was able to dispatch help and safely resolve the situation.

“When we answer a mobile 9-1-1 call from someone who can’t safely speak, it becomes very difficult to quickly locate them and send help” said McCaffrey, a dispatcher of 26 years. “Since a mobile phone does not provide an exact address, the Smart911Chat feature allowed me to ascertain the caller’s location and send help fast, in a dangerous situation when every second counts."

Smart911 is a free service that allows individuals and families to sign up online to receive emergency notifications and to provide key information to 9-1-1 call takers during an emergency. When a citizen makes an emergency call, their Safety Profile is automatically displayed to the 9-1-1 call taker, allowing them to send the right response teams to the right location with the right information. Additionally, individuals can opt-in to receive notifications about emergencies or critical situations and receive alerts regarding necessary actions, such as evacuation and shelter-in-place.

Less than one week after Smart911’s launch, Whelton answered a 9-1-1 call about a home invasion. By leveraging the Smart911Chat, Whelton quickly retrieved the caller’s location when it was not safe to retrieve it over the 9-1-1 call. Thanks to the Smart911 technology, Whelton was able to continue to communicate via SMS text and send help to a caller in need.

“We implemented Smart911 in Bay County in less than two weeks ago. We knew it would be lifesaving, but we are so pleased to see it have such a quick impact” said Michelle Katt, Assistant Director of Bay County Central Dispatch. “In each of these emergencies, it was unsafe for the mobile caller to speak. Thanks to the Smart911Chat feature these dispatchers were able to quickly locate the callers and send help.”

Residents are encouraged to create their Safety Profile with Smart911at www.smart911.com today to have their information immediately available to 9-1-1 and to receive emergency notifications. Smart911 data is private and secure, is only used for emergency responses and available to the 9-1-1 system in the event of an emergency call.