By Derrick ForsytheRecord Features EditorRepresentatives from 35 local agencies met last Thursday at the Warren County Administration Building to learn more about one another’s personnel and services.The Warren County Health Department hosted the county resource meeting so each agency could be better prepared to serve citizens’ needs in case of an emergency.“We thought, if there ever was an emergency we wouldn’t want to get to know each other on that particular day,” said Health Department Administrator Ruth Walters.She says her department fields multiple phone calls each day from citizens in need of everything from an air conditioning to protect them from summer heat or assistance with an energy bill during the winter months.“We want to be able to put that person in touch with the agency that can meet their needs,” said Walters. “We have a resource directory, but there’s always somebody who needs food or shelter right away.”Thursday’s meeting helped educate those in attendance about the lesser-known services each agency provides. For instance, most know the Warren County Ambulance District handles requests from citizens with medical emergencies.But Administrator Ralph Hellebusch says there are several other important services the district provides which the community may not be aware of. Hellebusch encourages elderly citizens to take advantage of the Lifeline service, which is helpful in times of a fall or if the person is unable to get to a phone. He also informed the group about the Keysafe unit, which allows emergency personnel to enter someone’s home if it were locked out during a crisis.Another tool which allows EMS workers to better serve citizens is a File of Life, which provides a basic medical history of an individual and may assist officials in how to treat that person in the case of an emergency. The ambulance district can assist with the completion of a file of life, which is free to Warren County citizens.Walters says another pivotal new tool for the community is a weather alert system called CodeRed. Funded by a grant, the service is free to Warren County residents and will send out a text or phone call to either a cellphone or land line whenever the National Weather Service issues a severe weather warning.“There’s no reason why people shouldn’t get signed up for this,” said Walters. “If they do not have access to the web, we can assist them at the health department.”Many agencies were represented on Thursday, from NECAC — which teaches life skills classes and offers poverty simulation courses — to the Red Cross to Turning Point, a shelter for women suffering abuse.“We tried to include everybody who would provide resources to our county,” said Walters. “Some positions and names have changed and we wanted to get familiar with one another.”Several of the agencies provide temporary assistance to those in need, others offer classes and training to prevent individuals from falling into crisis in the future.“A lot of people don’t even understand how the Affordable Health Care Act (ACA) is going to affect them,” said NECAC Coordinator Donna Sandegren.Citizens can learn about the ACA, along with practical applications like how to reduce their energy bills or apply for jobs.Most agencies offer at least some type of training, as the ambulance district teaches CPR courses and health department offers wellness luncheons.A simple phone call to most of these organizations can enlighten citizens about their services.“If one agency doesn’t have what they need, maybe they could go to another for help,” said Walters. “There is assistance out there for many different needs.”County agencies Share Information on Resources