In an emergency, it can be difficult—if not downright impossible—for the average person to articulate adequately the information required by first responders. This is particularly detrimental to anyone who works actively in the field; should a problem arise, the pressure of the situation coupled with the dynamic nature of your work may prevent you from communicating properly. Fortunately, a service called Smart911 has your back.
Smart911 allows you to record a message which contains any information emergency responders may need to know in the event of a foreseeable crisis. For example, if you suffer from asthma and you know that you’ll be showing a house in an area with circumstances likely to trigger an attack, you might mention your condition in your Smart911 briefing. The same concept applies to any other condition, physical or otherwise, which may benefit first responders.
Another use for Smart911 is a running tally of your various allergies and intolerances. If you’re allergic to penicillin, for example, you may want to mention it in your Smart911 briefing to prevent confusion during treatment.
You might also use Smart911 to mention your current medication regimen, as some treatments will clash (potentially fatally) with opposing medications or ongoing treatments.
Likewise, if you’re diabetic or you have a similarly long-term diagnosis, it’s especially important to mention your condition in Smart911.
When working in the field, your location changes often, and the minutes spent by 911 finding your whereabouts can be the difference between a successful response and a less happy occasion. If you’re aware of the general area (or areas) you’ll be in during the course of the day, you can update your Smart911 briefing as needed; indeed, you may want to update it several times throughout the day to ensure that emergency personnel will always be able to find you.
The security afforded by the app may not provide instant gratification, but it does ensure that 911 will have access to as much information in as calm a manner as possible in the event of an emergency. If you work in the field – even if only sporadically – Smart911 is an indispensable asset for you.
Tara Steele is the News Director at The American Genius, covering entrepreneur, real estate, technology news and everything in between. If you'd like to reach Tara with a question, comment, press release or hot news tip, simply click the link below.
