Recently Lapeer County opted to use some of its 911 surcharge dollars to utilize the services of an alert system. Since 2004, A Child is Missing has helped law enforcement agencies in Lapeer County with 41 missing person cases for subjects of all ages.
With the changing the seasons, the potential for strong storms this spring and summer and with more people getting out and about, now’s an ideal time to take stock of available emergency alert systems out there and take the time to register with them.
Residents can register their phone numbers with A Child is Missing through the CodeRED system to make sure they don’t miss out on important alerts when someone in their neighborhood goes missing.
Several local police departments utilize the Nixle program to issue alerts for a range of incidents and weather events.
St. Clair County is registered with Smart 911. Residents are encouraged to log onto Smart911.com and provide information that responders can use to administer help faster in the event of an emergency.
Now’s also a good time to complete a Medical Alert Form that can be filed with Lapeer County’s Central Dispatch office. The form can be accessed from Lapeer 911’s website at lapeercounty911.org and gives dispatchers important information when you call 911 like special medical needs or emergency contact information. This is particularly helpful if a caller is unable to communicate with dispatchers.
Besides doing your part to register with these alerts systems, local residents have other ways to support these important tools. You can spread the word about what’s out there and, in the case of some of these organizations, consider financial support.
A Child is Missing is a non-profit organization that currently relies only on donations from individuals, companies and law enforcement agencies. Donations can be made through their website, www.achildismissing.org.
Local law enforcement and dispatch leaders have vetted these important tools and believe they have a value so let’s make sure we as citizens are utilizing them to the fullest extent so we can all do our part to keep our communities safe and sound.
