Porter County public safety agencies are adjusting to a new E911 system.
The county's E911 center completed the switch last month, after more than four years of preparations. The Post-Tribune reported that the county was migrating to Motorola Premium One for computer aided dispatch and related systems from Tiberon, which had reached the end of its life.
Portage Fire Chief Chris Crail praised the new system during last week's city council meeting. "For us, it's been a breath of fresh air," Crail said. "It's been something that is long overdue, and hopefully, those are steps in the right direction for our crews."
Specifically, he liked the addition of station toning. If one station is called out in the middle of the night, firefighters at the other two stations don't hear that call, reducing stress.
"So they're actually able to get that restful sleep, if they're able to sleep. We don't ever really sleep fully at work, but they're at least not being woke up by other stations' calls," Crail said.
Portage Police Chief Michael Candiano was still getting used to the new system, which has a big impact on how officers do their work. "It's been an experience," Candiano told council members. "We are making our way through it, but it's been quite an experience. So, I'll be honest with you — I don't even know how to look up how many calls we've had yet."
Candiano praised his officers, his clerical department and the Porter County E911 center for implementing the major project.
