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Uber expands life-saving 911 data share capabilities to Ottawa

Aug. 15, 2022, Ottawa, Ont. – Ottawa is the first Canadian city to have 911 data share capabilities to the Uber app, making critical information automatically available to 911 telecommunicators and first responders during an emergency.

Currently, if a rider uses Uber’s emergency button during a trip, their real-time location, car make and model, and license plate number are surfaced on the app so the rider can communicate that information to the 911 telecommunicator. With 911 integration through the RapidSOS emergency response data platform in Ottawa, that information is automatically transmitted to 911 along with the rider’s contact information and does not need to be conveyed verbally. The telecommunicator will see that information on the RapidSOS Portal on their computer and then share it immediately with police and first responders. If the vehicle is moving, the location will be updated in real-time to plot the direction of movement, and if/when the vehicle crosses 911 jurisdiction lines, this information can be handed off for seamless response.

“The Ottawa Police Service remains engaged and ready to implement tools to improve public safety,” said Inspector Russell Lucas, Ottawa Police Service. “We are ready to use technology whenever appropriate to ensure all steps are taken to best respond to emergency calls. Ottawa citizens and visitors remain our top priority; opportunities like this will ensure that people get help quickly in an emergency.”

This is part of a broader expansion that will make this integration technology available in more than 2000+ cities, which covers over 74 per cent of all rides on the Uber platform in the United States. U.S. regulators estimate about 10,000 lives in the U.S. could be saved every year if first responders were able to get to a 911 caller just one minute faster.

“We believe data can have a big impact on emergency response, helping 911 telecommunicators deploy resources faster and first responders to arrive on scene better informed,” explained Michael Martin, RapidSOS’ founder and CEO. “With data from the Uber app available automatically to 911, those experiencing an emergency can rest assured that their life-saving information can be made available to 911 in the moments when it matters most.”