MYNORTHWEST NEWS

New in King County: Smart 911 can get to you faster, if you give up personal info

Sep 12, 2012, 6:35 AM | Updated: 8:10 am

King County is offering program that will allow 911 operators to get help to you sooner, but you ha...

King County is offering program that will allow 911 operators to get help to you sooner, but you have to give up personal information to register for what's called Smart 911. (97.3 KIRO FM/file)

(97.3 KIRO FM/file)

King County is offering program that will allow 911 operators to get help to you sooner, but you have to give up personal information to register for what’s called Smart 911.

Smart 911 allows dispatchers to locate an exact address of a cell phone, instead of just pinpointing a general location.

“You can register your home address, work address, school address all to that wireless phone and then if you make a call from one of those areas, they’ll know that and then can send help more efficiently,” says Cameron Satterfield with King County.

Satterfield says it’s a free, voluntary service for anyone living in the county.

Critics fear the new service is asking for too much information, even going as far as asking for the location of children’s bedrooms.

To set up a Smart 911 safety profile visit www.smart911.com.

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New in King County: Smart 911 can get to you faster, if you give up personal info