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The Niagara County Sheriff’s Office and the Lewiston Police Department are partnering with one another to use an existing system to conduct welfare checks on residents.
LPD has utilized the “Are You OK?” system to check on residents for quite some time. It has now opened up the system to be utilized countywide. The system places a daily, timed phone call to participating residents to confirm that they are OK. The system works with a home-based or mobile line and is free to anyone who signs up.
Any resident of Niagara County wishing to be involved in this partnership is asked to make contact with the LPD at 716-754-8477 to register for the checks.
The information provided to the Lewiston Police Department will be entered into the “Are You OK?” system and will result in a call being placed to the resident to ensure they are OK. If no response is given, or the resident needs help, an alert will be generated and sent to the Niagara County Emergency Communications Center for a police or medical response.
Niagara County Legislature Chairwoman Becky Wydysh called this program a “great opportunity … if you have elderly family members or neighbors that you're not able at this time to go and check on physically each and every day.”
A press release said, “The partnership is a great example of the law enforcement community in Niagara County coming together to help the residents during this time of need. Residents who are concerned that no one is checking on them should call the Lewiston Police Department to sign up for the checks.
“This system does not replace the regular 911 system and residents that are in an emergency situation needing immediate help should continue to call 911 to receive an emergency response from their local police or EMS agency.”