Notifications
After the early warning system has detected a failure, the community is then warned of the situation. A variety of notification methods are utilized to relay the warning and it is encouraged that individuals ensure they have the ability to receive notifications through multiple methods. By making sure they can receive notifications through multiple routes, individuals will ensure their ability to receive notification as early as possible.
Since all notification methods have pros and cons, the Middle Creek Early Warning System plan calls for utilizing all the notification methods currently available to Gallatin County. This approach recognizes that different tools work better for different people, as well as diversification of these notifications provides better redundancy in notifying the public. The following are the methods that are currently available:
- Community Notification System
- Text Message (SMS)
- Electronic Pager
- NOAA Weather Radio
- Emergency Alert System
Many of these systems require some form of action on the individual’s part to receive the notification. Please read below for information on each system.
Community Notification System
The Gallatin County Community Notification System is powered off of the information provided by telephone companies that enables the 911 system to know where you are calling from. When using CNS we designate an area to be notified, then start calling the phones in that area with an automated message. The only phones that we automatically have in this system are land line telephones. Cellular telephones and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones are not automatically added to the system since vendors do not know where they are located. Individuals using these devices are encouraged to register their non-land line phones online and associate them with their home address. By registering your phones they then become associated with an address and can be called by CNS.
Calling Direction
In the event of a dam failure, CNS will beginning calling all the addresses within the inundation area. The inundation area is pre-loaded into the system and allows the system to start calling the houses at the mouth of Hyalite Canyon first, then moves down stream. The phone call will contain a message that states, “This is an activation of the Middle Creek Warning System for a dam failure. Implement your evacuation plan immediately and move away from Middle Creek to high ground.”
To learn more about CNS in Gallatin County, please visit the Community Notification System page.
Text Messaging and E-Mail
Sample Text Message
With the increased usage of cellular telephones in society today Gallatin County added the ability for people to register and receive text messages (SMS) and e-mail messages in the event of a middle creek dam failure. If a dam failure was to occur, you would receive a text message and/ or e-mail on any registered devices with the message of, “This is an activation of the Middle Creek Warning System for a dam failure. Implement your evacuation plan immediately and move away from Middle Creek to high ground.”
Only phones that have been registered by their owners are capable of being notified by this method. This feature is now contained in the Community Notification System outlined above.
Weather Radio
Individuals may also receive notifications on NOAA Weather Radios, as well as other emergency information. Weather radios can be purchased from a variety of vendors and configured to work anywhere. In the event of a dam failure at Middle Creek, the message distributed on the weather radios will be, “This is an activation of the Middle Creek Early Warning System for a dam failure. Individuals in the inundation area are to implement their Middle Creek Evacuation Plans immediately. Individuals should move away from Middle Creek to high ground. Additional information will be provided when available at ReadyGallatin.com.”
More information on the NOAA Weather Radio can be obtained at http://www.readygallatin.com/?page_id=2110. Weather Radios in Gallatin County should be configured using the Gallatin County SAME Code of 030031.
Emergency Alert System
The Emergency Alert System is a national system that allows federal, state, and local officials to send emergency messages to the public through local broadcasters. While the redistribution of these messages by broadcasters is not mandatory, most local broadcasters are active supporters of the Emergency Alert System. In the event of a dam failure at Middle Creek you would hear, “This is an activation of the Middle Creek Early Warning System for a dam failure. Individuals in the inundation area are to implement their Middle Creek Evacuation Plans immediately. Individuals should move away from Middle Creek to high ground. Additional information will be provided when available at ReadyGallatin.com.” This will be an audio message heard over local television and radio stations. It is very likely that it will also appear as a scroller across the screen of local television stations. The biggest problem with the Emergency Alert System is that an individual must be listening to a local radio station or watching a local television station to receive the alert.