Camden County’s newest improvement is Smart911, an innovative system that allows county residents to share personal information with first responders before even calling 911.

If you live in Camden County, you can now create a safety profile, providing information like health conditions, allergies and access points to your home or business in case of an emergency. You can also upload a photo of yourself to help first responders identify you more quickly, which just might save your life.

Smart911 can also help create a safer atmosphere, even in the midst of an emergency. You can add to your profile things like having an adult child with behavioral disorders in the home. Doing so allows police to have a heads up and use their training to defuse a situation instead of resorting to physical force.

The system costs about $50,000 a year, but that pales in comparison to the lives it may save. You can sign up here.