Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield Emergency Communications Director D. Jeremy DeMar announce the City of Springfield’s agreement with Uber, RapidSOS, and Rave Mobile Safety to be the FIRST public safety answering point in the Commonwealth to accept precise, device-based location information from Uber users calling Springfield Emergency Communications (Springfield 9-1-1).
Beginning August 23, 2018, through an existing partnership with RAVE Mobile Safety for Smart911, Springfield 9-1-1 professionals will begin receiving more precise location information from 9-1-1 callers. Developed by a company called RapidSOS, this enhancement gives 9-1-1 telecommunicators the ability to toggle between standard carrier ANI/ALI (Phase 1 & 2) and the phones own X and Y coordinates, allowing for greater location accuracy.
In addition to this enhancement to 9-1-1 call processing, the City of Springfield, under agreement and through an integration with Uber, RapidSOS, and Rave Mobile Safety, will be the FIRST in the Commonwealth to receive accurate caller location and additional emergency data from Uber passengers initiating a call to 9-1-1 via the Uber app’s “9-1-1 Assistance” feature.
Additional Uber data is displayed in the "Connected Car" tab of the Rave 911 Suite. This additional data includes:
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Personal information: The caller's name
Device information: License plate, make, model & color of the car the caller is in
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno said, “This is another ‘Springfield first’. I commend 9-1-1 Director DeMar on his proactive efforts. This technology continues to enhance our public safety attack.”
“While the ability of a 9-1-1 professional to locate a wireless caller in need of assistance has improved with time, precisely determining the location of the caller continues to be a challenge. In Massachusetts, 9-1-1 call processing technology is already ahead of the curve when compared to other parts of the country, thanks to our State 9-1-1 Department. Since the City of Springfield is already providing enhanced 9-1-1 services to our citizens through the Rave Smart 9-1-1 application, adding the Uber ‘9-1-1 Assistance’ feature, facilitated through RapidSOS and Rave Smart 9-1-1, is a logical and progressive next step,” said Director D. Jeremy DeMar. “Any Uber passenger in the City of Springfield will be able to immediately contact Springfield 9-1-1 via the ‘Uber 9-1-1 Assistance’ feature, automatically providing precise, location based information to the 9-1-1 telecommunicator, including the caller’s name, phone number, and make and model of the vehicle they’re in. Even more important, if the Uber passenger isn’t able to speak, Springfield 9-1-1 professionals will still have access to all of the aforementioned information.”
Andrew Hasbun, Uber spokesperson, said, "At Uber, we believe technology can help make the roads safer than ever before. Every second counts in an emergency, and we want to make sure our users get help quickly with accurate information if faced with an emergency situation."
“This is another innovative approach to public safety that not only shows Springfield is ahead of the curve, but will add an extra layer of protection for both Uber drivers and passengers in the City of Springfield,” said Police Commissioner John Barbieri.
Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi added, “The Springfield Fire Department is very excited for the addition of this new technology to be added to the resources we have at our disposal. This technology will enable us to be dispatched with greater accuracy and speed to better meet the needs of residents and visitors in need of emergency service from the Fire Department.”
As a Rave Smart 911 connected City, all Springfield residents are encouraged to visit https://www.smart911.com/ and complete a FREE online user profile. The information contained within your profile will automatically appear on Springfield 9-1-1 terminals if and when you dial 9-1-1.
For more about RapidSOS, please visit: https://rapidsos.com/
For more about Rave Mobile Safety, please visit: https://www.ravemobilesafety.com/
For more about Uber, please visit: https://www.uber.com/