ALFRED, Maine — If there were big trouble on the coast – flooding, widespread road damage, bridges swamped, a stubborn uncontrolled fire in northern York County that threatens life and limb – the faster emergency officials can get the word out to the public, the better.
Now, York County Emergency Management Agency officials have an additional way to get in touch with residents. Three members of the agency are now certified to use a wireless alert system that sends a message to mobile phones, warning folks in the event of an imminent emergency.
The alerts are sent out only for specific circumstances and must be ordered by an incident commander at the scene, said York County EMA Deputy Director Megan Arsenault, who is certified, along with the agency’s Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Chris McCall and Training and Response Coordinator Scott Gagne.
“This certification adds another tool,” when a disaster looms, Arsenault said. “It will allow us to inform more people, and quickly. If there was an imminent public safety threat, we’d issue it along with what actions people can take to stay safe.”
