Last August, Tempe launched Smart911, making it the only city in the Valley to offer such a service. Smart911 enables residents to create a profile with key details in the event of an emergency.
If you’ve ever made a call to 911, you know how easy it is to forget important medical details. Details like what medication does the victim take or do they suffer from a disease that might cause them to behave inappropriately. That information can make a huge difference in terms of the outcome.
"We’re seeing the dementia patients, the Alzheimer’s patients, were seeing the incidents of PTSD and other mental illnesses that are coming into play when we’re doing police work," said Patrick Cutts with the City of Tempe Police Department. "And knowing that up front helps the officers understand how they need to communicate with that person."
Cutts said in the nearly four months since the program has been available to Tempe residents, police have responded to seven Smart911 calls.
