'Reverse 911' helps find missing Sutherlin boy

SUTHERLIN, Ore. -- A 7-year-old Sutherlin boy was found safe and sound Wednesday night, and police say it was partly thanks to the county's reverse 911 system.

A man reported his grandson missing Tuesday evening, and police combed the area for the child.

The boy hadn't been seen for two hours.

While Sutherlin police, Sheriff's deputies and a Roseburg K-9 unit were looking, they activated a county-wide tool that helped them find the boy, who was safe and unharmed.

It's called the Citizen Emergency Notification System. "It's very beneficial," said Deputy Dwes Hutson from DCSO. "It makes it pretty easy for us to notify people quickly."

In the past, the system has only been available for land lines, but it now works for cell phones as well.

If you want to get notifications on your wireless device, you have to opt in. You can do that by visiting their Web site.