Millburn’s 911 Dispatch Service Is Helping Residents Keep Safe: Fire Department

Editor’s Note: The following article comes courtesy of the Millburn Fire Department

The Mountain Valley Emergency Communications Center, which provides 9-1-1 dispatch services for the Township of Millburn and adjacent communities, continues to be a pioneer and innovator in incorporating lifesaving technologies into its daily public safety operations.

Scott Ruf, the Communication Center's executive director, recently received the 2016 Rave Trailblazer Award in recognition of his outstanding efforts in this area. The award was presented by representatives from Rave Mobile Safety, which develops technologies to enable emergency preparedness agencies and first responders to improve public safety and respond more quickly and effectively to emergencies.

Among the Communication Center's many recent innovations is the implementation of the Smart911 program, a national public safety service that enhances 9-1-1 emergency services.  This program, the first of its kind in New Jersey, allows citizens to create an online safety profile at www.smart911.com that includes information they would want responders to have in an emergency situation.

"For example, an operator receiving a 9-1-1 call for a house fire would immediately see vital information displayed, such as how many people live in the home or the location of bedrooms… EMS responders, meanwhile, would have instant access to medical information and allergies," said Millburn Fire Chief J. Michael Roberts, who also serves as the township's Deputy Office of Emergency Management Coordinator.

"We are extremely proud to be the first in the state to offer this lifesaving service to our citizens," said Ruf.  "By allowing our citizens to provide vital details to our response teams prior to an emergency, we have the ability to positively enhance our response times and ultimately, the outcome of the situation."

Millburn-Short Hills residents can take advantage of this free, potentially lifesaving resource by logging on at www.smart911.com.

"Safety is a partnership between public safety officials and citizens," said Roberts.  "We are grateful for the efforts of our residents to keep their families safe, and we applaud Mr. Ruf and his team at the Mountain Valley Emergency Communications Center for their efforts on behalf of the community we serve." 

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Photo courtesy of Rave Mobile Safety