911 project uses digital photos
911 project uses digital photos
| CAPTION: Kayla Gahagan/Daily Mining Gazette In the forefront, Hitch LLC field collector Dan Rautiola takes a digital photo of a Stanton Township business while co-worker Scott Breitmoser observes. The two are working on Houghton County’s digital mapping project which collects data of all 911 addresses for emergency personnel to use. |
By KAYLA GAHAGAN, DMG Writer
HOUGHTON — There is no cause for alarm as you discover two men in a burgundy van parked in front of your house taking photos.
The men, field collectors with Hitch LLC, are part of the local 911 mapping project being done throughout Houghton County.
The project Hitch is working on with TriMedia Consultants is an extended version of the 911 updating work currently being done. That work includes all of the county’s 911 addresses being updated by a GPS system for purposes of emergencies, said Justin Murawski of TriMedia out of Marquette.
“The fire number is essential for dispatchers to locate the address,” he said. “They can pinpoint where the call is coming from.”
Jack Dueweke, Houghton County 911 coordinator, said that the original mapping project was made possible through a grant from the Emergency Telephone Security Commission.
The men in the van, Dan Rautiola and Scott Breitmoser, are collecting digital photos of all 911 structures within townships that request it. This part of the work is paid for by the townships.
The digital photos will be used to assist emergency response personnel in identifying structures quicker.
“Most people think it’s very beneficial,” Rautiola said of the people they have encountered.
As of Thursday, the two had already taken photos of six townships including Schoolcraft, Hancock, Quincy, Osceola, Torch Lake, Calumet and were in the middle of Stanton.
The van used for the field collection has a flashing strobe and signage on the passenger door indicating “Houghton County E911 Addressing.”
The field work will continue the rest of the summer.
Kayla Gahagan can be reached at kgahagan@mininggazette.com
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