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Secretary of State Jesse White is reminding Illinoisans to register with the Emergency Contact Database, allowing the public to voluntarily enter their emergency contact information through the Secretary of State’s website at www.cyberdriveillinois.com.

The database, which was established in 2009 by Public Act 95-0898, currently includes the emergency contacts of more than 156,000 people.

That information is then made available electronically to law enforcement statewide through LEADS (Law Enforcement Agencies Data System).

“With recent news reports of missing or unidentified people, I wanted to use this opportunity to remind the public to always carry some form of identification with you and to register with the Emergency Contact Database,” White said. "My office created this database to help ensure that loved ones are promptly contacted should one of their family members or friends suffer an injury that renders them unable to communicate to first responders."