Columbia County residents can now get emergency notifications
Monday, October 6, 2008 5:56 PM PDT
By The Daily News
Printable version
E-mail this articleColumbia County residents and businesses can sign up to receive emergency bulletins from the Columbia Alert Network.
Emergency dispatchers activate a service that sends recorded telephone messages to targeted geographic areas. The answering party is prompted to have the message repeated or to acknowledge receipt of the message. Information in the alerts could include shelter in place, boil water advisory, be on the lookout for a crime suspect, severe weather advisory or situation is resolved, according to a news release from Columbia 911.
Until now, only land-line telephone numbers have been used in public notifications using the system. However, many people cellular phones or Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services for their primary phone communication instead of land lines. Columbia 911 has added a feature to make it possible for citizens and businesses to register with any alternate telephone number information. Notifications can also be made in text form to devices capable of receiving text or e-mail messages.
Online registration is available at http://www.citywatchonline.com/csbsignup/communitysignupcolumbia.asp or forms may be mailed to Columbia 911 Communications District, P.O. Box 998, St. Helens, OR 97051, attn: CAN Citizen Registry.
Registry contact information will take up to 60 days to be incorporated into the database.
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