Chilton County became the 52nd county in Alabama to implement the “Yellow Dot” program on Thursday.

Police chiefs from Thorsby, Maplesville, Jemison and Clanton along with the Chilton County Department of Human Resources (DHR) held the first sign-up event for the program at Jemison Municipal Complex.

Jemison Police Chief Shane Fulmer said he was excited to introduce the program to the county after trying to get the program implemented two years ago.

Fulmer said it wasn’t until he worked a tragic accident on Feb. 2 that he realized the need for the program that would help first responders locate information about victims quickly.

“In a situation where you have a short period of time to find out details about the victims, you have to know beyond a shadow of a doubt who is in the vehicle,” Fulmer said. “This program will hopefully help in locating next of kin for those who might not be able to communicate.”

“Yellow Dot” is designed to assist citizens and first responders in the event of an automobile accident or other medical emergency involving the participant’s vehicle.

Those involved in the program have a yellow dot decal located on the bottom left corner of their vehicles’ back windshields indicating they are in the program.

Members also have a yellow pamphlet to locate inside the glove compartment of their vehicles with a picture ID, name, list of medications and contact information of who to notify about the accident.

Northeast Alabama Traffic Safety office program coordinator for Yellow Dot Lora Weaver said she was excited to have Chilton County adopt the program due to the common traffic accident being a one-vehicle on a rural road.

“Having this program in this county will provide a voice for those who are injured,” Weaver said. “I have heard stories from a lot of people who are worried about what might happen if they were ever involved in a serious car accident.”

Weaver explained the program first started in 2002 in Connecticut and was brought to Alabama in 2009.

Sumter County will implement their program on April 1 becoming the 53rd county in the state to have the program.

The program is free to citizens due to a grant provided by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Law Enforcement and Traffic Safety Division (ADECA/LETS).

“This is another good thing for our county,” Fulmer said. “We want to provide the best for our citizens and this program will help in doing that.”

Permanent sign-up locations for the program are at Chilton County DHR, Clanton, Jemison, Maplesville and Thorsby police departments.

Fulmer said additional sign-up locations would be held throughout the year at different events going on throughout the county such as Maplesville’s Heritage Day and Clanton’s Peach Jam.

For more information about the program visit www.adeca.alabama.gov and click on Yellow Dot Program or www.facebook.com/AlabamaYellowDot.