34th Annual Emergency Services Conference brings training to the North Shore

Access to training is a major obstacle for many Cook County residents working in specialized fields. That includes those in emergency services. Bringing training and education to the area was the impetus for the first Emergency Services Conference hosted in the county, now 34 years ago, according to Emergency Manager Mike Keyport.

Keyport said that while training for roles like EMTs exist through North Shore Health, with the variety of types of emergency responders in the county, this is also a time for “refreshers,” and to share new information.

“When you’re busy doing what you do, you don’t always have the time to find out what’s the new thing, what’s something we could do differently, or even just connect with other people,” Keyport said.

Several highlights for this year’s conference will be a session focused on telecommunication, often called dispatch, and a presentation by Arrowhead AED. Keyport said that another focus for the conference will be on mental health. Andrea Orrest of Public Health and Human Services will be at the conference to speak about mental health crisis response and suicide prevention.

The conference will take place on May 1 and 2 at the Cook County Community Center. Keyport said that while the conference is geared toward those working in emergency response, it is open to anyone interested in learning more. He added that those who plan to attend can register, though it is not required. More information on the event can be found on the Cook County website.

WTIP’s Tracy Benson spoke with Emergency Manager Mike Keyport on North Shore Morning. Audio of that interview is below.

Kirsten Wisniewski April 23, 2026