Residents with special needs join new 911 registry

Delawareans with special needs can now notify first responders of those needs before there is an emergency.

It’s called the Emergency Preparedness Voluntary Registry, a database of specific details on residents with special needs that can be accessed by 911 call takers and distributed to first responders in case of an emergency.  

“Whether it’s firefighters knowing that somebody who is inside may be confined to a bed or unable to move without assistance, they’ll know where in the home they’re going, and where they are located,” says Governor Jack Markell, who helped unveil the program at the Delaware Emergency Management Agency (DEMA) bunker in Smyrna.

The information will also be used by emergency planners like those at DEMA when planning their response to events like hurricanes or other natural disasters.

You can find the new registry on the state’s website at de911assist.delaware.gov.