Charlotte County, Punta Gorda help 911 dispatchers know caller’s medical info in an emergency

Dispatchers who receive 911 calls can now better track people’s locations and medical history, but they need help from the public to do it.

Charlotte County and Punta Gorda launched a new program to enhance the knowledge of first responders about people in emergency situations prior to arrival.

How it works: First a smartphone is needed and you must register your number at emergencyprofile.org to in Apple Health if you have an iPhone. Then, if someone calls 911 from that device, dispatchers will already have the individual’s medical information available.

It can make a big difference in response time during an emergency.

“We can have medical information prior to responders even being dispatched to the scene,” said Maureen Anderson, a 911 manger with Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. “We can provide information about their medical history before the responders even get there.”

Charlotte County and Punta Gorda 911 stress it’s up to the public to keep information up to date. That can be done by updating personal accounts on the Apple Health app or visit emergencyprofile.org