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More than 70 percent of calls made to emergency 9-1-1 come from mobile phones. When dialing 9-1-1 from a mobile phone, the 9-1-1 call takers have little information to help you – only your phone number and a general sense of your location.

However, a majority of Morris County residents can now avail themselves of the new and free Smart911 service -- from mobile phones or your landline -- that gives first responders key information that can make the difference between life and death in an emergency.

Do you have a disabled person living in your home? Will first responders encounter an aggressive pet? Where is the shut-off valve to your natural gas flow?

Smart911 allows residents to create a Safety Profile at www.smart911.com for their household that includes vital information that you want 9-1-1 call takers and emergency responders to have in the event of an emergency. Residents can offer as much or as little personal or business information as they wish.

“This is an important safety tool that we can provide to residents in towns served by the Morris County Communications Center, which has the technology in place to immediately offer free Smart911 service,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Director Doug Cabana.

“Residents easily sign up in just a few minutes at Smart911.com. If an emergency occurs, you’ll be glad you took the time,’’ added Michael Peoples, director of the Communications Division of the Morris County Department of Law and Public Safety.

The Morris County Communications Center currently provides public service answering for 23 towns under the county’s communications network umbrella. 9-1-1 calls made to emergency call takers in those 23 towns would trigger Smart911 information displays.

Those towns include Boonton Township, Chatham, Chatham Township, Chester, Chester Township, Dover, East Hanover, Harding, Long Hill, Mendham, Mendham Township, Mine Hill, Morris Township, Morristown, Morris Plains, Mountain Lakes, Mount Arlington, Netcong, Randolph, Rockaway Borough, Roxbury, Victory Gardens, and Wharton. Other municipalities have their own emergency dispatching systems that are outside of the county’s network.

When a person makes an emergency call, their Smart 911 Safety Profile transmits to the 9-1-1 center, allowing the 9-1-1 call taker to send the right response teams to the right location and with the right information.

Through the Smart 911 program, first responders can be aware of many details they would not have known previously.

For example, fire crews can arrive at a house fire knowing how many people live in the home and the location of bedrooms; EMS can be aware of allergies or specific medical conditions of residents; and police can access photos of a missing child in seconds rather than minutes or hours.

Smart 911 is FREE. Your information is secure, accessible only to a 9-1-1 call taker when you dial 9-1-1. This service can provide fast and efficient emergency services to you and your family. Key information provided to responders can make your family safer:

Address Details: How to access your home, number of bedrooms, location of utility shut-offs, and if you live in a multi-family building;
Family Details: Number of residents, ages, photos of children, and your landline and mobile phone numbers;
Medical Information: Medical conditions of certain residents, medications taken/required, allergies, mobility of residents, and if special equipment is needed in an emergency;
A list of your pets, service animals and livestock, and their names so responders are aware of them as they enter your home. Also, include the name of your veterinarian;
Emergency Contacts: Family members, friends or neighbors to be contacted in case of an emergency;
Make, model and license plate number in case of a motor vehicle accident.