The Porter County Board of Commissioners celebrated five members of the E911 administrative team Tuesday morning for receiving the rare National Emergency Number Association certification as emergency number professionals.
The international organization has certified just 51 ENPs in the state.
“It’s a highly technical certification,” explained E911 Executive Director Debby Gunn.
Commission Vice President Barb Regnitz, R-Center, asked what the general public will see as a result of the certification and how it will help the community at large.
Gunn said the training increases “understanding of the back-end responsibility of 911, which is growing by leaps and bounds,” and gives the administrators a comprehensive understanding of the latest products vendors are trying to sell the county.
“It’s a very challenging job that you guys do and to take it to this next level is outstanding,” said Commissioners President Ed Morales, R-South. “I hear the radio. I hear the calls, the great pressure you’re all under.”
E911 Deputy Director Andrew Barber then gave the board a rundown of operations the night of the June 11 tornadoes.
He said extra staff were called in from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Overall, there was a 169% increase in call volume, with the 8 p.m. hour increasing 318%.
Emergency Management Director Lance Bella released a statement Wednesday that Porter County residents who incurred damage to their homes and are uninsured or underinsured may be eligible for up to $25,000 through Indiana’s State Disaster Relief Fund. More information can be found at https://on.in.gov/sdrf.
In other business, Highway Director Jim Polarek warned the commission that the county could lose over $1 million in revenue as a result of Gov. Mike Braun’s suspension of the gas tax. Polarek said Braun had pledged “to make the cities and counties whole, but we’ll see that when it happens.”
Development and Storm Water Management Director Mike Jabo gave an update on the County Road 100 S road safety construction project, from 2,000 feet west of 725 W to 750 feet east of 675 W in Porter Township. The $5.4 million project was let on May 7 and Reith-Riley Construction Co. was the winning bidder.
The Federal Highway Administration is paying 80% of the construction costs to take the hills out of the deadly road, plus 80% of inspection costs, and giving money for design and the purchasing of right-of-way. “This is going to be a two-season job,” Jabo said.
He expects the exact construction schedule in the next week or two. “We’ll be posting the detour signs well in advance of that,” he added of the road closure period that has yet to be announced.
The contractor has up to 70 days to close the road in the first phase, but it cannot be closed beyond Oct. 30th. A second closure of up to 110 consecutive calendar days will be allowed at a later date, with substantial completion expected by Sept. 30, 2027.
Residents who live along the stretch under construction will be able to access their driveways and emergency vehicles will as well.
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In other road news, Jabo said Meridan Road north of U.S. 6 should be open by the end of this week. Bridge 150, which takes Mineral Springs Road over the east branch of the Little Calumet River, will be substantially complete by Aug. 1; U.S. 6 over Salt Creek will be open by early next week; U.S. 6 over Coffee Creek will be open in July; and Bridge 132 on Babcock Road has a substantial completion date of Oct. 15.
“Liberty Township has been in kind of a crush lately,” Jabo said.
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.