Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office 911 Center receives life-saving emergency data via the RapidSOS Clearinghouse

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office 911 Center is now receiving more accurate location data for 911 calls utilizing the RapidSOS Clearinghouse.  RapidSOS Clearinghouse access’s  data from iPhones with IOS 12 and Android phone version 4.0 and up, as well as additional emergency data from apps like Uber, wearables, connected homes, and connected cars to ensure reliable information is relayed to emergency responders.

The nation’s 50-year-old legacy 911 infrastructure was designed for landlines and provides almost no data to first responders besides a voice-only connection. Through the RapidSOS Clearinghouse, the APSO 911 Center can access life-saving emergency data from supplemental sources at no cost, including accurate location from IPhones and Android phones.

APSO always seeks to implement 911 technology tools that will improve emergency response for citizens.

“We are excited about this program that will give accurate updates as the caller is moving and can help us with providing location at a more accurate speed,” said Sheriff Bobby Webre. “We first learned about this program at a training our dispatchers attended last year, and we are now able to bring this free program to Ascension Parish.”

APSO Dispatchers began testing the program in November 2019 and went live in late May 2020.

“In such short time, this program has already helped our deputies in several cases with location and aiding in investigations,” added Sheriff Webre.