TALLAHASSEE — If you are involved in a crash, who would you want police to notify? In Florida, residents have the ability to make that decision before an emergency strikes.
To date, more than 5 million Floridians have registered their emergency contacts with the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.
Gov. Rick Scott signed a proclamation to name Oct. 2 – 8 Register Your Emergency Contact Information Week in Florida.
DHSMV is teaming up with the Division of Emergency Management to encourage all Floridians to register their contacts.
“We are pleased to reach the 5 million mark, and the Department continues to encourage all of Florida’s 15.5 million licensed drivers to register their contacts with us,” said DHSMV Executive Director Julie L. Jones. “As we celebrate Register Your Emergency Contact Information Week this first week of October, please register and encourage your friends and family members to do so, too.”
The Emergency Contact Information program allows licensed drivers and identification card holders to submit two contacts to notify in the event of an emergency, such as a vehicle crash. The information can then be accessed only in the event of an emergency and only by law enforcement officers to find designated contacts.
“By registering in this voluntary and time saving program, residents can ensure that in the event of an emergency, the proper authorities will be able to connect loved ones to the injured person in a timely manner,” said Director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management Bryan W. Koon. “We encourage all Floridians to consider the value of this notification system and register today.”
Signing up is quick and convenient. Register from the convenience of your home or at work through the Internet at www.flhsmv.gov/eci and at any driver license office in the state, to include those operated by county tax collectors.
There is no cost to register your contact information.
The concept for the ECI program came to fruition after the tragic death of Tiffiany Olson, who died in a motorcycle crash in December 2005. Law enforcement officials did not have any contact information to timely notify her mother Christine Olson of the crash that led to her daughter’s death.
Christine Olson founded To Inform Families First and with the help of her state representative, Rep. Bill Galvano, she brought an idea to the Department to allow people to register and law enforcement to access emergency contacts so that other families may receive quick notification. DHSMV launched the program during the first week of October 2006.
To learn more about DHSMV and the services offered, visit www.flhsmv.gov, follow us on Twitter at @FDHSMV or check out the Department’s Facebook page.
For more information about the Florida Division of Emergency Management and to GET A PLAN!, visit www.FloridaDisaster.org. You also can find DEM on Facebook and on Twitter @FLSERT.