Personnel at the North Platte 911 Center are encouraging all residents served by their center, to create a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com.

The service has been in use at the center for about the last two months.

Participants can put information into their profile, so that the information is available to 911 Center Personnel anytime 911 is dialed from any of the telephone numbers registered on the account.

911 Supervisor Mary Ann Agler, says the service has been very well received.

The Police Department has been educating civic groups, as well as individuals, on the benefits of the service and have received a lot of positive comments from advocacy groups that support the hard-of hearing and the elderly.

Dispatchers are particularly concerned with calls received on cellular devices.  Officials say approximately 73 percent of the calls they receive are from cellular phones.  This makes it very difficult for emergency workers to determine the exact location or identity of the caller.

If a Smart911 profile is in place, 911 dispatchers and first responders have additional information regarding location and identity, which will increase the response time.  This service is especially helpful when emergency workers are responding to calls within rural areas of Lincoln County, and can clear up confusing issues with rural addresses.

The North Platte 911 Center provides services to all citizens of Lincoln County, as well as Gothenburg.  Officials strongly recommend that anyone living within the service area complete their safety profile.  Someday, it could save your life.

If you have questions or would like more information, you can contact the North Platte Police Department at (308) 535-6789.