County law enforcement will soon flip the switch on a useful — and potentially lifesaving — new upgrade to the emergency dispatch system.

Cass County Sheriff Richard Behnke said his office is ready to activate the county’s new Smart 911 dispatch system “any day” now, expecting it to be online by week’s end. The Smart 911 program will allow county dispatchers to receive detailed information about people who dial 911 for emergency service, including name, address and other details that may help law enforcement, firefighters, EMS and other personnel more effectively locate and assist people in need.

County residents are encouraged to sign up for Smart 911 service by creating an account on Smart911.com. People registering for the service will be required to create a username and password, enter in their current cell or landline phone number, and fill out as much personal information as they wish, which will be shared with dispatchers in the event they call for emergency service.

Behnke requests county residents at least include an address, emergency contacts and any special conditions or needs they have, so that emergency services will be able to more effectively help them during emergency calls. Addresses in particular will be most useful, as dispatchers will be able to locate callers in the event of a disconnection or if the caller is having difficulty answering questions.

“Nothing is more frustrating than getting a 911 call with no one talking on the other end, so we can use this basic information to still help,” Behnke said.

The county recently approved the dispatch center’s enrollment in Smart 911, a nationwide program designed to improve dispatch in the modern, mobile phone dominated era. In the past, landline phone carriers would provide information such as name and address to local dispatchers. This type of information is not so readily shared by mobile service providers, which instead can only provide the names and general coordinates of callers.

“It’s a common issue,” Behnke said. “Most of our calls are from cell phones these days. Back when I was in charge of the dispatch center in the late ‘90s, less than 30 percent of the calls we received were from cell phones. Now, it ranges from 80 to 90 percent.”

Thanks to a grant, the State of Michigan will pick up the county’s bill for the first 18 months of Smart 911 service, which costs around $8,000 annually, Behnke said. After that, the sheriff’s office will pursue another grant or may absorb the yearly fees, he said.

In addition to more basic information, people who register with Smart 911 may also provide details such as any pets that are living in the household or photos of themselves and their family members, Behnke said.

While aimed at cell phone users, people will be able to enroll their landline numbers in the Smart 911 program as well. Users may also update addresses and other information, in the event they move or make other life changes.

No matter what type of information users provide, dispatchers cannot readily access the data. Instead, caller details will only pop up on dispatcher screens during emergency calls, and will vanish at the end of the call, Behnke said.

The sheriff’s office plans to work with the Cass County COA and local libraries to help register residents who do not have access to a computer or the internet, which are required to sign up for Smart 911.

“This program will help us help others, allowing us to do our jobs better,” Behnke said. “That is our basic message. I anticipate we will save lives and protect property with this information.”

People with questions about Smart 911 may contact Cass County Dispatch’s nonemergency number at (269) 445-1560.