Around 1,000 public safety officials are in Springfield this week for the Illinois Emergency Management Agency’s annual training summit.
The event includes keynote speakers that dealt with the Orlando mass shooting and Flint water crisis. Michigan Emergency Management Director Chris Kelenske stressed the importance of technology when responding to an emergency.
"We're at a time right now where some people don't want to use technology," he explained. "Maybe it scares them a little bit. But I can say, especially with the Flint disaster, the use of technology and our GIS (geographic information system) resources greatly contributed to some of the successes that we've had."
IEMA officials hope attendees take new ideas back to their communities to enhance emergency preparedness and response plans.