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Smart apps for Starved Rock, Matthiessen park staff? · Illinois Valley - Shaw Local

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  Speaker 1: Smart apps for Starved Rock Matthiessen park staff. Written by
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  Tom Collins, this article is being read by an automated
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  voice brought to you by Everlett. Coming soon to Starved
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  Rock and Matthiasen a smartphone app that will help park
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  staff send EMS dispatches in case of a trail accident
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  or other mishap. The app will be available to park
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  workers rather than the general public, and it's aimed at
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  reaching out to first responders even in spots with weak signals.
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  It's still in development, said Monty Bernardoni, CITE, superintendent for
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  Starved Rock and Matthias and State Parks, and it should
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  be available later this year. The development of the app
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  was among the improvements announced Monday at the annual Starved
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  Rock Safety Update held at the Utica fire Station. Founded
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  and hosted by State sen Sue Razin R. Morris, the
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  POWOW gives first responders a chance to swap ideas and
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  over the past dozen years work jointly toward improving safety.
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  This meeting has fixed a lot of issues over the years.
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  Utica Fire Chief Ben Brown said among the projects and
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  improvements being worked on are the LaSalle County Sheriff's Office
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  bought a new tower up by Serena that will boost
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  our coverage significantly. The Sheriff's radio service provider is switching
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  to another taller tower in the Deer Park that will
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  boost coverage. Patrol footprint will continue to increase throughout the year,
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  disc said, thanks to a combination of relocating deputy positions
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  from corrections to patrol and the county board letting me
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  add a few more people. Park officials and local fire
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  m's companies have hammered out an emergency response plan. Bernardoni
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  said he wouldn't disclose the specific contents, but confirmed first
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  responders have crafted an action plan for most any scenario.
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  Trail improvements are underway starting April first. Contractors have been
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  working on the lower and upper areas of French Canyon
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  target completion June first, with ADVII SEIS renoices posted to
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  insure safety. Everything is going well so far, Bernardoni said,
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  noting whether has been favorable. Improvements are also being made
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  at Starverocks boat docks, which will facilitate patient transfers. Tornado
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  sirens might be installed in or around the park. Fred Moore,
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  director of LaSalle County Emergency Management Agency, said Constellation Energy
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  will replace its sirens at the nuclear plant. The used
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  sirens then will be donated to EMA. Moore said he's
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  willing to donate them to the Department of Natural Resources.
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  You'd have to purchase a controller and pay to install it,
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  Moore said, but the expensive part is covered. While Mathiessa
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  in State Park had a brisk first quarter, second best
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  attendance on record, Starved Rock's visitor total has been relatively flat.
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  Bernardoni expects that to change with gas prices surging. Bernardoni
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  anticipates order trips for budget conscious families, which in turn
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  means Starved Rock will be an attractive day trip option
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  for families in and around Chicago. We know we're gonna
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  get busier, he said,