Emergency Communications Center

Have you created a Smart911 Safety Profile for you and your household members? By doing so, you will make potentially lifesaving information available to our call-takers in the event you or a family member calls 911 in Cincinnati. Smart911 is also used by 911 centers in our neighboring jurisdictions. If you live, work, or visit the greater Cincinnati area, you should be signed up for Smart911 so we can better help you in an emergency.

While registering, you will also have the opportunity to opt-in to emergency alerts from the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

Why You Should Sign Up for The Smart911 App

---

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Smart911 work?
Smart911 allows you to create profiles with contact information such as home, work and mobile phone numbers, along with additional details you feel 911 call takers may need to assist you during an emergency. With Smart911, any time you make an emergency call from any phone registered with your safety profile, the 911 system recognizes your phone number and automatically displays your profile on the screen of the call taker who receives your call.

Does the addition of the Smart911 service affect emergency services for those who do not choose to participate?
Participation in the Smart911 service will not change the level of emergency 911 service provided to residents, businesses, and visitors; the Smart911 service allows users to submit information that they believe would be helpful to dispatchers and first responders in the event of an emergency.

What is a Safety Profile?
A Safety Profile is a set of information about an individual, or a household that is contained within one account. Information can include details about all members of the household, all phone numbers (mobile, landline or VOIP) and all addresses, including home, workplace and even vacation home information. Users may also add details about medical conditions, medications, vehicles, emergency contact persons, pets and other information.

How can Smart911 benefit wireless phone users?
Wireless phone users are encouraged to sign up, as wireless phone calls to 911 only provide a general location of the caller, not an exact address. Adding your home, school and work addresses (including apartment and room numbers) can help responders locate you more easily. It can make the different between knowing what neighborhood you're in, for the 911 operator, and knowing exactly what house you live in. However, even if you have a Smart Profile, it is very important that 911 callers, particularly those with wireless phones, provide their current locations to dispatchers at the start of each call.

How long does it take to create a safety profile?
Setting up a profile can take as little as 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how much information you wish to provide. You can always go back and update existing information, or add additional information to your profile.

How do I know if my safety profile was successfully created? 
When you complete registration, you will be directed to your Safety Profile dashboard and a message will be sent to you confirming your account, via your choice of email, text message or automated call. The information you provide in your Safety Profile will not be made available to 911 call takers unless you have verified the phone(s) listed in your profile.

Is there a cost to sign up for the Smart911 service?
No! There is no fee to create or maintain a Safety Profile.

Can I include my family members?
You are encouraged to create a Safety Profile that includes everyone in your household. You can also create Safety Profiles on behalf of elderly parents, those with disabilities, or anyone not comfortable with technology, designating yourself as the emergency contact.

What if English is not my primary language?
You can create a Safety Profile in multiple languages and specify your primary language. When you enter the Smart911 “Sign Up” portal, click “Select Language” on the upper right hand corner of the screen. A drop down menu will appear and you may choose your preferred language to create your Smart Profile.

When your profile displays at the 911 center, it will be translated back into English. If an interpreter is required, the 911 dispatcher will be able to see which language you designated as your primary language.

How can Smart911 help when I am away from home?
Your Safety Profile is portable. If you travel to a community that utilizes the Smart911 service, your information will also be provided to first responders in that area. This is why it’s important to include all pertinent phone numbers in your Safety Profile, including mobile phones, landlines and workplace numbers.

Once I’ve signed up, do I need to do anything else?
The more up-to-date your information is, the better. The Smart911 service prompts users to periodically verify their information. However, you should update your profile any time there is any change to your information. After two years of inactivity, the profile will be disabled. If you use the Smart911 app, simply opening the app and viewing your account will automatically extend that timer out for two years.

Is my information secure?
Yes. Your information is made available only to 911 dispatchers and first responders only in the event you call 911. Your Safety Profile is non-searchable and your information will only be displayed to 911 dispatchers for a limited amount of time. In some areas, you can choose to allow Smart911 to share your profile with Emergency Managers as they prepare for and respond to emergencies. If you reside or work in one of these areas, you will be presented with this option.

In addition, your information is stored in geo-redundant databases that are located on opposite sides of the country. In the unlikely event of a database shutdown, the system will automatically transition all of your information to the backup database, resulting in zero impact to your safety profile.