Milton residents may use Smart911.

By Accessmilton.com

Milton residents may now use the Smart911 notification system to enhance the information available for first responders in an emergency situation.

To sign up, visit www.smart911.com and choose "Create Safety Profile." You will be asked a series of questions that provide fast, reliable information to police, firefighters and EMTs in an emergency.

"The amount of detail offered to a 911 dispatch center through this free program is simply invaluable," said Deborah Harrell, Milton Police Chief. "You can provide photos of yourself, your family and your home, where utilities are located, the physical condition and health level of family members, the medications they take, even pet information, including whether it is a service animal."

According to Smart911, about 70 percent of 911 calls come from mobile phones. Often, this can spell trouble in an emergency, because it can be difficult to ascertain the phone's exact location. With the service, dispatchers receive work and home addresses, plus a GPS location of the caller.

And the system is nationwide, so anytime you make a 911 call from the number registered, the information is available provided the agency which receives the call utilizes Smart911, said Harrell.

When you register, your information will be stored in Alpharetta's C3 Communications Center. Each time you call with the numbers registered, all information entered will be available for dispatchers. It is vital residents who use this system keep information up to date.

Smart911 is paid for by a portion of existing 911 fees.

For more information on this program, including which communities use the service, visit www.smart911.com.