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Texting: a friend in tough times

Pinellas has set up a system of free emergency notification text messages to be used during weather events, spills, or terror threats or attacks.

By TERRI BRYCE REEVES
Published June 4, 2006

Imagine a scenario where a Category 4 hurricane has pounded Pinellas County. Power and phone lines have been down for days. Cell phone circuits are jammed. Rumors are that ice, water and food are available.

But where?

Your cell phone beeps and a text message appears, letting you know when and where the supplies will arrive.

Ah, technology rocks.

These emergency notification text messages are free and easy to get. All you have to do is call the Pinellas County Community Notification Service toll-free at 1-888-689-8905, using the device you want to register. The system will capture the number and ask you to input your ZIP code. Then it will confirm registration.

And that's it.

"This is one more way to quickly and efficiently issue important information during an emergency," said Gary Vickers, the county's emergency management director. "It's an adjunct, one of several ways to get the messages out to the public. There is no perfect way, but this should be very effective because so many people carry cell phones."

These digital emergency notifications will also work on pagers, Blackberry wireless devices and personal digital assistants (PDAs) - anything that can receive a text message. Owners of older cell phones may want to check with the manufacturer to see if their phones are text message-capable.

Vickers said possible uses for the Community Notification System include weather events, hazardous materials spills, or terror threats or attacks.

"This system could really make a difference," he said. "It could help us save lives."

What makes this system so appealing to emergency planning officials is that text messages travel on a low-bandwidth spectrum, making them easier to go through than voice messages when systems are down or circuits are overloaded.

And the service is nationwide, said Vickers.

"So if you've gone to North Carolina, you'll get a text message letting you know when re-entry is allowed in your area," he said.

The service, which cost the county about $30,000, is provided from a Largo-based company called ReadyAlert. It was tested first as a staff notification system, and officials were pleased with the service, Vickers said.

"We decided to add it to our tool kit of notification technology," Vickers said.

Bob Austin, spokesman for ReadyAlert, said more than 1,000 people had signed up for the system since it was made public on Thursday. It is available to all county residents.

In other hurricane-related news from the county:

Information about emergency activations is available by e-mail. Register at www.pinellascounty.org/Emergency_subscription.htm

The Citizens Information Center, activated during emergencies, has been updated to improve service and reduce wait time. That number is (727) 464-4333.

The Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA) will be running regular bus routes up to the time of tropical storm-force winds (40 mph) during evacuations to help the transportation-disadvantaged get to a friend's or relative's home or the closest available public shelter. Cats and dogs may be transported in carriers on buses if an evacuation order has been issued. Fees will be lifted during an evacuation.

Those with mobility problems who will need evacuation assistance should register now with Pinellas County Emergency Management at (727) 464-3800 or contact their local fire department to receive bus transportation to the closest appropriate shelter.

The Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council has adjusted maps to create more detailed information on evacuation levels. As a result, about 3 percent of parcels experienced a change in level. The county is urging all residents to check whether their homes were affected. Visit the web site at www.pinellascounty.org/emergency and click the link on the left, "Evacuation Level Lookup," or call 727 453-3150 or (727) 464-3800.

New shelter spaces will be added at three St. Petersburg elementary schools this season: Jamerson, Sanderlin and Fairmount Park. Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg was added as the county's largest shelter with 6,500 spaces.

[Last modified June 4, 2006, 01:17:19]