Users Of Westchester Trails Have New Way To Contact Emergency Services

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, 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 QR codes now installed at multiple locations.

Smart Signs with QR codes have been installed at trail heads and access points. They include mile markers with municipality names so trail users will know exactly where they are in an emergency.

Westchester County Executive George Latimer said that the trails are the county's most utilized facility in the entire parks system.

"The safety of our visitors is our No. 1 concern," he said. "Now, in an emergency, the Smart Sign QR Codes will allow our park patrons to quickly and efficiently contact Emergency Services.”

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, according to a spokesperson.

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.

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 because 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.

Parks Commissioner Kathy O'Connor said that avid trail-users 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 his office encourages 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,” he said.