PORTER COUNTY - The countywide upgrade to the Porter County Public Safety Communication System is now online. Portage Mayor John Cannon told Lakeshore Public Radio that the system was officially switched over on Tuesday (October 8th) and so-far, so-good.
"It's worked overnight and all day today perfectly, so that's what we were waiting for," Cannon says.
Cannon says with the new E911 system Porter County first responders can now speak with the rest of the state. Prior to the upgrade Porter County was on an old antiquated system. He said the upgrade was not only needed, but it was also mandated.
"The upgrade was needed," Cannon says. "It was required by the state to get us all on the same megahertz radio system and it was part of the E911 Integrated Public Safety Commission process thru the state officials."
For a long time Porter County was the only county that was not on the new 700 megahertz system. Then there were delays for Porter County in getting on the system according to Cannon because of difficulties with some towers and the position of the E911 director had been changed a few times.
