The power outage that was widespread throughout Hartford Weds. night resulted in the Washington County 911 center performing a 911 reverse calling notification to those in the affected area that the Hartford Firehouse would open as a warming shelter if the power was not restored by 11:30pm. The Firehouse has emergency power.
Because the temperature was in the negative digits, this outage had the potential to threaten public safety if it persisted for a long time.
The County 911 center was able to pull up the National Grid map of the affected area and call those land lines within it. But, unless you still maintain at least one old fashion plug into the wall phone you can not get a call in a power failure.
The County also has the ability to perform a 911 reverse call to citizens with cell phones. These cell calls can include voice and or text messaging to alert you.
But, in order for the 911 center to know that you want an alert on your cell phone, you have to register your cell phone number with them.
There is no need to register your home land line phone because they already have this in the system and those calls will come automatically, but cell phones are a different story.
I sent this info out in a mass mailing a couple of years ago and maybe it is time to remind people again.
Pasted below is information from the County website regarding this sign up. It is very easy to sign up with the Hyper-Reach link provided below.
Please forward this email on to Washington County residents in your address book that you think might be interested.
Dana
Washington County COMMUNITY SIGN UP
The Hyper-Reach system uses landline telephone numbers provided by the telephone companies that serve Washington County. If you are a resident of Washington County, you are already enrolled in a program that could save the lives of you and your family. Hyper-Reach is designed to allow emergency management professionals from the Police, Fire, and Emergency Medical Services, as well as, the Washington County Department of Public Safety, to contact you by telephone in the event of a civil emergency. An automated phone message would be directed to each phone in a specified area notifying residents of impending or active emergency conditions, disasters, or health warnings.
Hyper-Reach already calls your home phone
number(s) in the event of local emergencies or community alerts. You do not need to register your home phone number. Submitting the additional information below will allow your cellular phone, email, and/or TDD to be notified as well.
Please take a moment to fill out the form at
www.hyper-reach.com/washingtonsignup.html
The information provided will not be used for any purpose other than community announcements.