While Wednesday’s nationwide test of the National Emergency Alert System fizzled in Oregon, local citizens and businesses signed up with ClatsopALERTS! received the message.
The Clatsop County Emergency Management Division ran a test of the “reverse 911” emergency notification system by sending out the national alert to ClatsopALERTS! users via text and email.
The National Emergency Alert System is meant to allow federal officials to reach the American public during extreme emergencies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency sent out the much-publicized test signal at 11 a.m. Wednesday to “primary entry point” stations in every state. But due to an apparent malfunction at Oregon Public Broadcasting, the signal was never relayed to local radio and television stations in Oregon and Southwest Washington as intended.
Prior to Wednesday’s test, however, the county Emergency Management Division decided to piggyback on the national alert in order to test ClatsopALERTS! and solicit feedback from users. At 11 a.m. staff manually sent out the message to a total of 1,044 registered numbers.
ClatsopALERTS! enables local emergency officials to send out alerts to local citizens and businesses on storms, tsunamis and other emergencies as well as other incidents such as boil-water notices. Land-line telephone numbers are automatically entered into the system, but those wishing to receive messages on cell phones or via email must register for the service.
Alerts for major emergencies are sent by voice; other messages are sent by text or email only. Because Wednesday’s national alert was only a test, it was sent to ClatsopALERTS! users only as text.
To find out more about ClatsopALERTS! and the register, go to www.co.clatsop.or.us or call (503) 338-3656.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment