Senior fair offers Smart911 signup

West Chicago seniors and their families will have the chance to sign up for Smart911, an innovative safety service, at the 2016 Senior Fair from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 28, at the West Chicago American Legion Post 300, 123 Main St.

Smart911 saves time and it can save lives. Users create detailed profiles with critical medical and family information that helps first responders when a 911 call is placed. The service is offered by the Emergency Telephone System Board of DuPage County and is supported by existing 911 fees.

Smart911 is especially valuable to households with seniors, as well as anyone with a physical or cognitive disability. Profiles can include information about specific medical needs or conditions, and caregivers' names can be included as emergency contacts.

A representative from the DuPage County ETSB will be on hand at the fair to help seniors with the signup process. On average, it takes about 15 minutes to create a profile.

Each account will need to have an email associated with it. If a senior does not have an email account, they're encouraged to use the email of a family member or friend.

For added convenience, a signup form that may be filled out by a family member prior to the senior fair may be found at bit.ly/1Uvzqgq.

Anyone who lives in, works in or visits DuPage County can create a profile. It's free and completely confidential - the information provided is available only to emergency responders during a 911 call.

Find out more about Smart911 at www.dupageco.org/smart911 or watch a short video on the signup process at bit.ly/1R3tIjb.