Westchester Insider: Westchester County Parks: WESTCHESTER COUNTY TRAILWAY USERS HAVE A NEW WAY OF CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES ON THE TRAILS.

 

WESTCHESTER COUNTY TRAILWAY USERS HAVE A NEW WAY OF CONTACTING EMERGENCY SERVICES ON THE TRAILS.

 

(Ardsley, NY) – North and South County Trailway and Bronx River Pathway users have a new, more advanced, way of getting in touch with Emergency Services - thanks to new Smart Signs QR codes now installed at multiple locations.

 

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said, “Our trails are our most utilized facility in the entire parks system. The safety of our visitors is our number one concern now, in an emergency, the Smart Sign QR Codes will allow our park patrons to quickly and efficiently contact Emergency Services.”

 

Signage installed at trail heads and access points include mile markers with municipality names so trail users know exactly where they are in an emergency. Every sign includes a 9-1-1 locator sticker and a unique QR code for the trail, which users can easily scan with their phones to be instantly connected to local Emergency Services. Each mile-marker sign has been uploaded into the emergency 911 dispatch system, allowing for an easy process for Emergency Services to locate an incident. The mile marker information enables a dispatcher to immediately identify where an emergency is occurring. This information is especially vital if the 9-1-1 caller is unsure what community they are in or does not know precisely where they are along a trailway.

 

Commissioner of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Kathy O’Connor said, “Avid trail-users who walk, jog or bike on our trails have their cell phones on them and will be able to seamlessly contact the police in case of an emergency.”

 

Public Safety Commissioner Terrance Raynor said, “We encourage all those who use the trailways to make a note of the mile marker information each time they pass an Emergency SOS 911 sign.  Knowing where you are ensures the fastest possible response to any incident requiring a police, fire or EMS response.”

 

Commissioner of Emergency Services Richard Wishnie said, “We were eager to work with Smart Outdoor in providing accurate and identifiable signage which is critical for our dedicated emergency communication specialists in dispatching help to those in need.” 

 

Smart Outdoor CEO, Ivan Bellotto said: “Our one-of-a-kind offering provides both a mix of technology driven safety features and an interactive experience to visitors. We value our partnership with the Westchester County Parks system as we expand our safety platform."

 

The Westchester County Departments of Public Safety and Parks, Recreation and Conservation recently reviewed the usage and condition of the existing yellow-boxed trail phones as they became obsolete in December. “Out of Service” signs have been placed on them until they are completely removed.

 

Smart Signs were installed in partnership with Smart Outdoor, Liquid Outdoor, and the Westchester Parks Foundation. The Signs were sponsored by the Hospital for Special Surgery.