Porter County Central Communications (911)

08/17/2026

DUTIES: Oversees the daily operations of department, including leading/directing duties of personnel, ensuring emergency calls are handled properly and timely, approving...

08/16/2026

NIPSCO and community partners are offering free meals, bottled water, device charging and other resources to residents affected by recent severe weather and outages. Here are five things to know:

08/13/2026

Please read this important information about generators from Valparaiso Fire.

🚨 PLEASE — DO NOT USE GENERATORS INSIDE OR NEXT TO YOUR HOME OR BUILDING! 🚨

We are pleading with everyone to take this seriously.

Since the recent storm, we have responded to multiple calls involving elevated carbon monoxide (CO) levels. In several cases, generators were being operated inside buildings, in garages, or too close to buildings.

⚠️ Carbon monoxide is an invisible, odorless, deadly gas. You cannot see it. You cannot smell it. And it can overcome you before you realize there is a problem.

NEVER operate a gasoline, diesel, or propane generator inside your home, garage, basement, shed, or any enclosed space.

Generators should be operated outside, well away from doors, windows, and other openings where exhaust can enter the building.

Please also make sure your carbon monoxide alarms are working and have fresh batteries.

If your generator is running right now, please go outside and check its location. Moving it away from the building could save your life — or the life of someone you love.

We know everyone is dealing with the aftermath of the storm and trying to keep their families warm, safe, and comfortable. But please don’t let a generator turn a power outage into a tragedy.

PLEASE SHARE THIS POST. You may help save a life. ❤️🚒

08/13/2026

Yesterday, a storm tore through Porter County.

Most people saw the derecho from their windows—or saw what it left behind. Trees uprooted. Power lines down. Roads blocked. Homes damaged. Vehicles caught in rising water.

But there was another side of the storm that most people never saw.

It was happening inside our 911 center.

Imagine sitting at a console as the phones continue to ring.

A tree has fallen on someone.

A home has exploded.

A family is trapped inside their vehicle.

Someone needs police. Someone needs firefighters. Someone needs an ambulance.

And then the systems you depend on begin failing.

Power is lost to radio tower sites. Internet service goes down, taking critical web-based systems with it. Email becomes unavailable. Even the air conditioning in the communications center fails.

But the phones keep ringing.

And our dispatchers keep answering.

Yesterday, our team worked through overwhelming call volumes and significant infrastructure challenges while handling some of the most difficult calls of their careers. They adapted. They improvised. They relied on their training, backup procedures, and—most importantly—one another.

Administrative staff filled operational roles. Supervisors stayed beyond their shifts. Others came in on their time off because they knew their coworkers needed them.

They simply stepped up.

There is a side of public safety that most people never see. There are no flashing lights in a 911 center. No sirens announcing what these professionals are doing. The person answering the phone may never know how the story ends. The dispatcher sending firefighters into danger may already be handling the next emergency before the first is resolved.

They sit behind a console, put on a headset, and become the calm voice in someone else's chaos.

Yesterday, while a storm was testing our community, it tested them too.

It tested their training. Their patience. Their ability to adapt when technology failed. Their endurance when the calls wouldn't stop.

And, above all, it tested their character.

What I witnessed was extraordinary.

I saw coworkers support one another while carrying the weight of calls that will stay with them long after the storm debris is gone.

And through it all, they continued to answer the call.

There are moments when you are reminded that an organization is not defined by its equipment, technology, or building.

It is defined by its people.

Yesterday, the people of Porter County Central Communications showed exactly who they are.

To our dispatchers, supervisors, administrative staff, and everyone who stepped forward when Porter County needed you most: thank you.

Much of what you did happened behind the scenes, and most of the people you helped will never know your names.

But your work mattered. Your presence mattered.

And Porter County was safer because when seemingly everything around you was failing, you did not

08/12/2026

**IMPORTANT NOTICE**

Due to a power outage, county offices will be closed today, including the courthouse.

Porter County Central Communications remains operational and continues working hard in the aftermath of the outage as we brace for another round of storms today.

Please understand that we do not have information regarding which businesses are open or when power will be restored. For information about power restoration, please contact your utility provider.

Please reserve calls for emergencies or matters requiring police, fire, or medical assistance.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation as our community works through the effects of the outage. Please stay safe!

08/04/2026

We’re excited to be representing Indiana and Porter County at the APCO 2026 conference.

The 911 industry has embarked upon changes that are revolutionizing how we serve our communities.

This conference is an opportunity to discover new and evolving technology and the best ways in which we can utilize it at PCCC.

We have at great group representing Indiana!
APCO International

08/02/2026

Indiana is second only to Illinois in the 2026 tornado tally.

Illinois has already seen more tornado reports than it has in any year since records began, while "tornado alley" states like Texas are lagging behind this year in the annual tornado tally. https://bit.ly/4cd48re

07/28/2026

Before the storms rolled through Porter County on Monday, our Telecommunicators were already hard at work. As severe thunderstorms moved into the area, they answered the call—literally.

On a typical Monday, our Communications Center handles around 400 calls. During Monday's storms, that number surged to 700 calls—a 75% increase in just one day.

The busiest hour came between 5:00 and 6:00 PM, when our team handled 175 incoming calls as the storms impacted communities across the county.

Behind every 911 and non-emergency call is a dedicated Telecommunicator working to get help where it's needed. We are incredibly proud of the professionalism, teamwork, and resilience our staff demonstrated throughout Monday's severe weather event.

Thank you to our Telecommunicators for staying calm under pressure and continuing to serve our community when it mattered most.