Safety in Emergencies

Porter-CountyLast week the Porter County Substance Abuse Council had its regularly scheduled meeting on January 10. The speaker for the session was Paige Connelly, Public Information Officer for Porter County Central Communications. She introduced a life-saving service for residents and businesses in Porter County. The new service, Smart911, allows users to pre-register information about the cell phone/land-line owner, business, or family. This information could include the use of oxygen on premise, an elderly relative or a deaf worker, or the location of the gas shut-off valve. When the 911 responders arrive on the scene they will be better prepared to handle the emergency and provide the best possible service.

Porter County is the first county in Indiana to take advantage of this new service. All information put into the system is secure and will not be shared with any other entity. Individuals, businesses, non-profits can all register. The service is free. Currently Smart911 is available in 23 states in over 300 municipalities. If a Porter County citizen has registered his/her information in Smart911 that information is available wherever he/she is in the country.

In other business, the Substance Abuse Council has begun work on its state-mandated three year plan. The Council offers grants to organizations fighting substance abuse in Porter County. This meeting begins a new eligibility year. Organizations wishing to apply for funds need to meet membership requirements, including Council meeting attendance. If interested in learning more please contact the Council at 462-0946.

The Porter County Substance Abuse Council will meet at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, February 14 at the Valparaiso Library, 103 Jefferson Street. Next month’s meeting will cover a new substance abuse counseling program in Porter County.

Dedicated to working for a drug-free Porter County, the Substance Abuse Council is a coalition of treatment facilities, education providers, members of the justice community and concerned citizens. A member of the Governor’s Commission for a Drug Free Indiana, the Council has been providing funding to community resources for over fifteen years.