Nave warns of medical alerts that don't provide information to emergency dispatchers

Jun. 6—Owensboro-Daviess County 911 director Paul Nave is warning people who purchase personal medical alerts make sure the alert connects to a live call center.

Nave said medical alerts that contact 911 dispatch when activated and rely on the person being able to talk to a dispatcher won't be effective if a person is unable to speak due to illness or injury.

"There are multiple devices you can subscribe to," Nave said. Some services will connect to a call center when the person activates the alert, while others dial 911.

Nave said the issue with an alert that call 911 directly is the device won't send any data needed to locate a person such as their address. With such devices, dispatchers get no information to help narrow down the device user's location, such as the cell tower nearest to the alert signal.

"We don't get your address or information. All we get is a voice," Nave said. But a person who can't speak won't be able to tell dispatch their location.

The devices don't have phone numbers, so "we can't call you back," he said.

Medical alerts that connect with call centers have monthly fees. Nave said those call centers will have the subscriber's address, phone number and other information, so the call center can contact 911 and relay that information to the dispatcher, even if the person using the device can't speak.

With devices that don't connect to a call center, "there's no monthly cost, and I understand that," Nave said. But if there's no one who can talk to dispatch, there's no way to send help to an emergency, Nave said.

"These (devices) are really starting to be advertised, and I don't want people to have a false sense of security," Nave said.

"If you need help, we are here to help you," Nave said. "The caveat is, if we can't get an address, we are in a deficit in trying to get you help immediately."

A service where the alert goes to a live person at a call center will contact dispatch with information, Nave said.

"You pay for that security, and knowing that someone is going to be there when you push that button," he said.

James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse