Sometimes I keep my mouth shut and just listen. It is amazing what you can learn.
Today I learned that the Eaton County 9-1-1 system is computerized (no surprise there) and that every address had a pre-defined "record" associated with it. The record has fields for "Where is key for emergency access stored?" "Pets", "Hazards", "Where is meds-list allergy info stored" and so-on. The 9-1-1 dispatcher has encrypted channels they can use to alert the responders as to where you store your outside-key without every yahoo with a scanner learning about it.
As we age and our health begins that downward roller-coaster ride, we become "frequent fliers" and first responders start populating those fields. They are particularly keen on knowing how to get into the building without breaking anything (or straining their backs) and whether there are potentially dangerous animals (Not just dogs, it could be bulls or horses or billy-goats or geese or roosters) or rotten porches they should not walk on.
The main point one of the speakers was attempting to make is that we can contact our 9-1-1 administrator and they will be THRILLED to enter that information into the system before you need the first responders. So even if you are not capable of speaking to the 9-1-1 operator but can press your first-alert button...the dudes and dudettes who show up can safely-and-swiftly get in and render aid.
It was my impression that photos can be included in the records but they currently do not have a way to sending the photo to the first responders.
:“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.” Benjamin Franklin
ReplyDelete“The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.” Aung San Suu Kyi
I am a Libertarian on this item. If a person with a history of strokes or extreme osteoporosis wants to expedite first responder response by making that information available to the 9-1-1 system, then who am I to discourage them?
DeleteI am with Anon. This is the kind of thing Big Brother will abuse, its been proven time and time again. I will not give a pass and assume the best intentions - quite contrary, I assume the government will be the worst, as its proven itself very reliable that way (see FISA repeated renewal, 'screw your Constitution", for our safety).
DeleteOne of the first questions will be along the lines of " Do you have any guns on the property and where are they located". “I’m from the Government, and I’m here to help.” Ronald Reagan
DeleteOnce you give out information you can't take it back
They dont ask if you have guns. We assume you do. We also assume you are growing pot. As long as they dont come out during a call, its not a problem
DeleteAll of that only works 'if' the cars have updated systems in them. If they are still on MDTs, none of that is possible, other than by voice.
ReplyDeleteIf they are still old school, it literally comes out on the CAD printout.
DeleteYou can also enquire if they support 'Knox Boxes'. Think the boxes Realators use to show Houses. It contains a key to your House and the responders have a Key to the Box. Some agencies have programs that supply them to elderly households for free.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds good in theory. But I've learned that theory doesn't always deliver desired results in a real world application. The immediately visible flaws are:
ReplyDeleteCompromised information by nefarious actors inside the system.
Out of date information because of changes (key moved, remodel project etc)
Changes in personnel either in family or caregivers or first responders.
The devil is in the details.
"The road to Hell is paved with good intentions."
ReplyDeleteIn this case, the very best of intentions.
The only way one might - might - safeguard critical information, such as key location, access code, etc. would be to maintain it locally in non-copiable /non-transmittable form, accessible only via a unique identifier, meaning "unique to that person or location" and capable of being changed at will; once used, it must be changed siginificantly enough as to render the previous issue totally worthless.
Trusting government, any government or any part of a government, with such critical information is inviting abuse, often very well meaning or accidental abuse, quite significantly from which government has exempted itself from any liability. Exigent circumstances will always occur, exigent circumstances which, post event, will always be justified by urgency of need, and explained in that manner.
There may be circumstances in which sacrificing privacy and/or security may be justified but it must be understood that it is a binary choice that is non-reversable - once performed, it's done forever. .
Pretty easy to hide the key in another place.
DeleteI was a firefighter for 15 years. This is common practice across the country, as well as "pre incident plans" of most neighborhoods. In most cases this info is not brodcast over the radio, its encoded onto the CAD on the dispatch. The engines will also carry a binder (or a computer) with the pre incident plans in them for their district.
ReplyDelete"how to get into the building without breaking anything"
ReplyDeleteI still don't know how the EMTs got in the house without using the key safe while responding to a lifeline alert from a system we no longer had.
RE 911 info on file: I'm at the top of the to-be-notified list when there is a life-line alert. I've never been notified and we've had three alerts.